Palace Pandemonium
by Aly Black-Starr
Summary: Allie and Mia were normal girls with normal lives... until they get sent to Hogwarts and their lives flip upside down. Now with a curse and a political takeover to handle, these child-geniuses will take this world and game its system. With a story of half crack, half plot, and one eighth driving Snape up the wall, these two muggleborns will surely refine your views of 'normal'.
1. Chapter 1

"Mia!?"

"Allie!?"

Two girls exclaimed simultaneously.

"What are you-"

"Why are-?

"Did she-"

"Are you-"

"She did-"

"I know-"

"Since when-"

Two sets of parents looked at each other, bemused.

"Well, at least she has a friend," Mrs. Carter pointed out, nodding at her daughter Mia.

"True," Mrs. Baker agreed.

Once the two brunettes were done with their half-sentence conversation, they ran over to their parents, excited to get on the train for their new school, Pigzits.

"Hogwarts," Allie corrected the narrator.

Same thing.

You see, Mia and Allie were two special 11 year olds. Unlike everyone else at their former school, the two girls were witches. Yes, you read it right, magic is real. Allie and Mia were going to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, as will every other 11 year old witch/wizard in England.

After a final round of hugs, kisses, 'don't forget to writes', and tears, Allie and Mia hopped on the Hogwarts Express, a scarlet red train that traveled all the way to Scotland to deposit the eager children ready to cause mischief...eh, learn. Of course, that eagerness was followed by fast-paced chatter between the two girls… though the train got notably cold for a bit. They ignored it.

(OvO)

_ ( )_

# #

"Hmm, tricky," the Sorting Hat muttered. "Loyal like a Hufflepuff, Intelligent as a Ravenclaw, and...ooh! the cunning of a Slytherin. Now, where should I put you?"

"Not Slytherin," Allie thought.

"And why not?"

"Wouldn't it be extremely Slytherin to be placed in another house?"

The hat laughed. "Well, then, Ms. Baker, better be HUFFLEPUFF!" the hat shouted the last word to the entire hall.

Allie, after a nod to Mia, walked towards the cheering table of yellow and black robed students.

"Carter, Mia!"

Mia stepped up to the stool.

"Well, well, well, what do we have here?" the hat whispered. "Part Gryffindor, part Ravenclaw." Mia hummed in response, not shocked by the hat in the slightest.

"Gryffindor is brave and Ravenclaw is wise, but I don't think I'm all that brave."

"And why is that?" The hat seemed nice enough, Mia decided that Mr. Hat was okay in her book. She wouldn't set it on fire. The hat seemed to shift nervously as Mia tacked on.

"I have literally ran away from things I've built." The Hat gave a loud chuckle.

"Not sure of yourself, huh? Better be… RAVENCLAW!"

"MY EARS!" Mia yelped and everyone laughed.

Mia hopped off the stool and headed towards the blue and bronze table.

"Welcome to Ravenclaw!" a prefect said cheerfully. "I'm Roger Davis, 5th year prefect."

Mia ignored him and turned to the girl sitting by herself a few seats down the table. The three seats to the left, right, and across from her were empty, but Mia disregarded that and plopped down.

"How is your hair so white?" she asked the blonde girl curiously.

The girl smiled dreamily. "The nargles did it."

"They bleached your hair in your sleep? Rude," Mia commented.

"No, I can see nargles," Luna said. "I think they think I'm a bit odd, you know. Some people call me 'Loony' Lovegood, actually."

"Ooh, like the people in the story! The Fae-Sighted, right?"

"The bright lights around people's' heads. I was just the one that named them."

Soon enough, the two girls delved into a strange winded conversation about stuff like Blibbering Humdingers, Crumple-Horned Snorkacks, and something elder Ravenclaws would have sworn was a torture device. Eventually talk turned to Quidditch and Mia sighed with a grumble,

"I hate sports games when I can't play." They all gave her a long look before turning back to their conversation. In the meantime, Mia was debating pros and cons of actually attending those games. The cons won out.

(OvO)

_ ( )_

# #

Mia snickered as Allie huffed.  
"Your cursing habit is obscene! And you're-"  
"Shhh," Mia cut her off. She beckoned for the smaller Hufflepuff to come forward.  
"What is it?"  
Mia wordlessly pointed to the group the two had jokingly named The Golden Trio. They were whispering about some black dude, making furious hand movements with stained purple fingers. But that was all they caught. The first years exchanged glances.  
"Racist much? Do you think we should tell them it's us who replaced Filch's quills for the ones that turn your hand purple?"

Allie tilted her head to the side, thinking. "Na," she said finally. "I mean, who keeps quills that make ink appear from nowhere, and then appear on your hand? They've got to be illegal."  
"Can we set them on fire?" Mia asked excitedly.  
"Mia!" Allie exclaimed, affronted. "Absolutely not!"

"So the Skrewts?"  
"Definitely."

"Who are you?" A deep voice interrupted the pair's conversation.

Mia and Allie looked up, surprised to find a very interested looking redhead. Then another. Were they seeing double?

"No, you're just bananas," Allie said sweetly, making Mia realize she must have said that out loud.

"Gred," the first speaker grinned.  
"Forge," the duplicate bowed.

"And what banana?" They asked in unison.

"So you're Fred, and you're George?" Mia said, pointing to the correct twins, who groaned.

"Going Bananas is an idiom," Allie explained, nonplussed. "It means-"

The pair groaned again.  
"Stupid Ravenclaws ruining our fun. And a new Hermione." Mia blinked, thinking of the Shakespeare character before it clicked.

"You mean Hermione Granger?"

"Know any other Hermiones?" Allie asked sarcastically.

Mia snorted at her friend, ignoring the comment.  
"She's a Puff. And I can think of far more fun things to be doing." Allie slapped her arm.

"There's nothing wrong with my house, and behavior-wise, we're the best one!" Allie growled, ignoring the eager twins. Mia laughed as the two pouted from lack of attention.  
"First is the worst, so I'm told. Besides, best behaved just means you're lame." Mia grinned. The evil grin made the two back up in mock fear before the four burst into laughter.

"Well, Forge, I think we've found ourselves a set of wee little firstie pranksters," George said.  
"We are in _second_ year," Allie huffed.  
"Yeah, and we already have an army of minions to help us!" Mia added, catching onto the ploy quickly.

The older boys looked intrigued.  
"Tell me more, ickle secondies. And did you just say minions?"  
Mia sighed and slapped duct tape over their mouths.  
"Duct tape. Don't pull it-," she started, just as the twins ripped the duct tape off their now red mouths.

"OOOOWWWWW!" the twins howled as the girls laughed.

"FRED! GEORGE!" Hermione huffed her way over to them. "Stop terrorizing the second years!" the third year scolded.

"I'm pretty sure those girls are older. At least the one with the dark hair," Ron ambled up to the group. Mia snickered.  
"Midget."  
"I'LL SHOW YOU MIDGET!" Allie yelped.

Fred and George watched the two with apparent interest.  
"Boldest second years I've seen, brother," George commented. Fred nodded.  
"True."

"Wait, are they or aren't they second years? The taller girl looks like she's two years older than the short one but I've never seen them in my life." Harry joined them.  
"WHO DID YOU CALL SHORT?!" Allie yelled. Mia held the girl back as she made to attack the Boy Who Lived.

"Well, Potter, I didn't take you as the ungentlemanly type," Malfoy snickered as he sauntered into the room. "Hanging out with mudbloods, eh? Well, you can't get lower than that."

Allie calmly turned. "What did you just call me?" she said, her voice dangerously low. "Have fun, Mia."

The first thing the Ravenclaw did was land a hash punch to Malfoy's groin, making him let out a noise not unlike that of a dying seal and crumpling. Even Ron, Harry, and the twins had to wince. "Mia, stop it, we have potions in five minutes and the castle is larger than a small college." Allie blinked in surprise as she checked her digital watch, Ron looking over at her in interest, himself. His dad would like that. Mia stood up and the two grabbed their bags, leaving some very confused upperclassmen behind.


	2. Chapter 2

The girls sat in silence as Professor Snape drawled about the glory of potions before he gave them their first assignment. It looked simple enough but the girls had no intentions of making it simple. Reaching into their bags, they pulled out lab coats, safety goggles, and heavy gloves (all enchanted to be fireproof).

"Just what," their teacher slunk over to the now oddly dressed girls, "do you think you you are doing?"

Mia blinked innocently up at their teacher,

"Lab safety?"

The muggleborns snickered, recognizing the phrase and just how far those girls were willing to go to antagonize one teacher. The potion was done and the two girls worked amicably as Snape scowled at their attire. Though their point was arguable…

"I'll let it slide, _this time._ "

Surprisingly to the others, the girls weren't scared at all. Rather, they just blinked.

"Did we do something we weren't supposed to?" Mia asked and Snape sighed in clear irritation.

The girls paid him no mind as they headed to Charms. Allie and Mia sat at desks and took a look at the large white quills almost everyone else was holding.

"That's a little archaic," Allie commented and Mia nodded.

"I don't think people used quills since the nineteen hundreds."

All eyes were on the quietly conversing girls.

"Are feathers easier to enchant or something?" Mia asked and Allie shrugged.

"Maybe wizards don't use plastic?" Mia shook her head.

"Wood can be enchanted, they fly on brooms, after all."

"I think it's just that wizards have no common sense," Allie sighed.

"It's like they've never even heard of the word 'safety'," Mia sniggered.

"Painful deaths?"

"Duh," Mia hummed.

"And I'm like 'the heck kinda school is this'?" The two laughed.

"I know! And where are the lightbulbs?" Mia complained, gesturing to a sconce on the wall.

"Like… does the school not pay bills? There's running water." Allie questioned derisively.

"And what kinda psycho uses parchment, as in _dead animal_ , when they have books made of paper?" Mia jabbed a thumb at a writing student, who shot her a glare. Allie slumped in her seat and the two pulled out notebooks and mechanical pencils, though Allie also took out her metallic rainbow pens.

"I heard wizards kept slaves."

"Are they trying to give Muggles a reason to hate them? Seriously, this society is asking to collapse." The two began to copy the board.

"No cultural development except a odd bit here or there from muggles," Allie continued as they worked diligently. The pureblood elitists in the room scowled. Mia nodded.

"How many people travel by steam train these days?"

"I'm sorry, what's a steam train?" Allie blinked as several students snickered.  
"Never mind..." Mia groaned and Allie sighed.

"What is wrong with this school?"  
"What's not wrong?" Mia shot back.

"Excellent point! And we will be discussing the importance of the way a wand is waved," their teacher interrupted. The amused look on his face took all the animosity out of his interruption.

Allie and Mia blinked innocently, pasting an interested look on their faces. At least in Allie's case, Mia's mind was on a certain Asian country under dictatorship and how they'd react to find him irreversibly stuck to a flagpole.

(OvO)

_ ( )_

# #

"You know," Allie said thoughtfully, "I wonder if there's some weird magic way of learning languages."

"You can check the library," Mia shrugged, tossing a ball up in the air and catching it.

"And what will you be doing?" Allie asked.

"Flossing. Writing with a quill. Trying to find the ugly thing I saw in the hallway last night," Mia said casually.

"Why don't you go see if anyone wants to play soccer?"

"I'll just join you," Mia huffed, getting up.

Allie strode across the halls to the library, Mia in tow, where Hermione Granger had taken residence.

"Where can I find the language books?" she asked Madam Pince sweetly.

The librarian narrowed her eyes. "Sixth bookcase," she said, pointing.

Mia quickly abandoned Allie in favor of a leather book with a strange gem on it.

After glaring at Mia, Allie walked towards the language books.

"French Dictionary; _Hola_!;

Mia looked up at her, and blinked slowly.

"Anneyongsayo, Carter Mia ibnida," she said flatly.

"Buenos Dias, Mia. Cómo está hoy?" Allie replied.

"Daijobu, arigato," Mia said, switching languages again.

The two laughed as Allie delved into Spanish. But Mia was leafing through the book. It was all over the place. Potions, spells, enchantments. Suddenly, as though they were always there, threads floated through the air. They changed colors and shapes, temperatures and textures. Some were wrapped around walls, or even on objects. They wove together and drifted apart. Yet they were definitely connected. How Mia knew, she wasn't sure. She reached out towards a bright green string that had tangled a thin and faded black string to soft, bright, red one. As soon as her fingers made contact with the green string, the strings disappeared with a flash of pain.

The world was back to normal, the strings were gone.

Her eyes traced over the words "Animagus Spell" before it clicked. This book was special, and didn't belong in this library. She'd be holding onto it for a little while.

"Mia, why'd you steal that book?" Allie asked in a hushed voice. Mia wordlessly grabbed her hand and brought her to the empty common room. She showed the other girl the spell.

"Any interest in being an animagus?"

"Yes." Allie's eyes were sparkling and Mia couldn't help but smile. She perused the page with eager eyes.

"Come with me. We have some work to do."

"What about our potions essay?" Allie asked, trailing behind her. Mia shrugged, uncaring.

"We have three days. You'll come up with something."

"Alright. Let's do this." Allie's hands were shaking but she moved quickly, excitedly.

Mia managed to obtain the things she needed for the spell in a few minutes. Each step was easy to follow and soon enough, Allie had created a potion out of seemingly random ingredients. And then the world flickered.

Mia stared at the strings. She figured that only she could see them, not that she'd asked. But the Ravenclaw couldn't help but want to see them. To study them. The book had nothing about the strings as of yet, but every time she read it, even cast some of the spells she found in it for privacy, the strings appeared. They had to be magical, no doubt. She was with Allie, who was watching the potion. Nobody would see her. She carefully raised a hand to touch the string in front of her. A long, golden, rod. It was smooth and cool. It didn't move as she pushed or pulled it. To test something, she grasped a blue silky string, and it moved with her tug. The silky string thrummed with energy. Why were they there? She let out a gasp as the string was pulled from her by some invisible tug. She pulled on the string and gasped at the sudden feeling of conviction and a sudden feeling of warmth.

"A fire charm…"

A sudden wicked thought crossed her mind. Make it backfire. She grabbed the strand and held it firm. A wash of embarrassment and the string went cold. How could magic use these strings? With a small tug, she let a burst of fire come to life. Was this…? She pulled out her wand and blinked. It had a hook with a thin golden connected to her wrist. And the it made sense. The strings were tunnels, with magic. And anyone who could use a channel, could tap into it. And the different strings were the enchantments in the air. That had to be it. That or she was going insane. Her eyes trailed back to the golden string,

"What are you?"

The dirty blonde eagerly drank the potion, before freezing in place.

A horrible scream ripped from the girl's throat, catching Mia's attention.

"Just take a deep breath or something!" Mia called anxiously, strings flickering out of view. Allie let out another scream and her voice was labored.

"Take a deep breath?! It feels like my insides are being ripped out!"

"If you can't do the transformation, don't force yourself!" Mia ran over to her friend, to tell her to stop it before she killed herself-

Allie gave a howl of pain when something fell into place. All of a sudden, a brilliant blue bird stood before her. It looked almost like a phoenix… if it was blue. Her feathers were silky smooth to the touch as she stared into inky eyes. The creature before her was ethereal.

"You did it," she said softly. Slowly, staggeringly, the bird morphed into her best friend.

"Yeah," her voice was raspy. "I did."


	3. Chapter 3

"A water phoenix," Mia shifted in her seat as the Transfiguration teacher stared at them. They'd gone to her for help with their "accidental" discovery. She hadn't told the girl about the new sapphire blue strings tied around her legs.  
"Do those even exist?" George asked in a hushed voice and Mia glared at him. The two were in detention with her and they were unable to make the goons leave for the conversation.

"Course they do." Fred threw a glance at Professor McGonagall. "How much longer is detention?"  
"But I thought it wasn't possible to be a magical animagus." George insisted.

"It's Allie!" Mia exclaimed.

Said girl looked up from her book on phoenixes. "Yeah?"  
"You do know that you have to register as an animagus with the ministry."

"Do I?"

"I suppose you don't, but you will be considered a separate entity and will have as many rights as an animal in that form."

"I'll have to think about it….I've thought about it. I'll register with the American ministry."

"Does it matter?" Mia asked curiously.

Allie shrugged. "Not sure."

Mia left and headed to History of Magic with the Gryffindors. She sat at her desk and brought out the strings. The blue strings didn't hurt her, and the colored strings were a gamble. The weaker ones in color could become brighter if she wrapped an edge around one of the blue strings. But she didn't know why there weren't more strings, since there was so much magic in the air. But there was always enough. She'd never seen a string break or something, but there was no way there was even enough strings in Hogwarts for Hogwarts. Then she saw it, a withered-looking yellow string. The color fell off the string like a second skin, revealing a blue string, that flew upwards. Mia looked up, and nearly gasped. There were channels and tunnels with strings woven together like a fabric. Every time a person used a spell, they didn't _use_ a string! They _made_ one! That was probably why some people could do magic and some couldn't. That had to be it...right? Not everybody could see the strings, then maybe not everybody could use them. She needed to figure this out and she needed to figure this out now.

A gem caught her eye.

The book!

It was such a stupid idea, to take it out know, but everyone was asleep. With a careful movement, the book was open inside of her textbook. The pages were all over the place, rife with notes, but she caught a page towards the end. Just scribbled on the the page was an entire paragraph.

 **There is a fabric of the universe, visible at all time to those who know how to see it. The way magic works is that every witch or wizard has a core of threads. Every time they use magic, they access the fabric of the universe. When they need a lot of magic, they use a lot of strings. When they use a little, they only use a few. Wizards and witches' threads do regenerate, but it takes time. Their threads get pulled into the fabric. Sometimes, they don't, and can only be accessed by the same magic user. They then float around aimlessly, often turning into curses. When someone dies, their threads rejoin the fabric. As a person matures, they gain more and more threads. Sometimes, super powerful wizards have such thick ropes of the threads that they can burn the wizard from the inside out. Sugar helps with that by neutralizing the power that threatens to rip through the surface.**

Inside the margins were scribbled words in a brilliant blue ink.

 _ **There are three different colors of strings - gold, blue, and red. The gold string is the difference between muggles and wizards. Muggles only have blue and red strings. The gold string is the magic a person has. It grows thicker and thinner on a given day.**_

 _ **I have found that when I was ill my red string was decaying. I had to tear off parts of my gold string and wrap it around the red one. Could the red string be my health? Should I be able to do that? What happens when I rip all the strings completely?**_

 _ **-Study ghosts?**_

 _ **-Colored strings = enchantments?**_

 _ **\- research Fates**_

Mia gasped. Her answer was there. There was more to know about this world of strings. But she looked down and, lo and behold, three glowing strings glowed three different lights inside her chest. But what about that golden rope? It was impulsive to do it there, but she started doodling the world of strings, big golden rope in the center. She needed answers and she knew exactly how to get them.

(OvO)

_ ( )_

# #

Allie looked at Malfoy.

"Stop that!"

"Stop what, mudblood." His voice rose in irritation. Allie huffed.

"That creepy thing you do with your face when you're happy. It makes me nauseous."

(OvO)

_ ( )_

# #

"Hey Ron, it says gullible on the ceiling."

"No it doesn't. See? There's nothing written there."

"So what have you been up to?" Hermione asked Allie and Mia. The two girls knew that acting innocent would not be helpful. Mia couldn't tell her about the strings. She was trying to tell Allie, but decided against it. Allie would just say she was insane. So she improvised.

"Check it out!" She chirped as she sent a fire charm at an old homework. Hermione yelped.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!"  
"What's more relaxing than setting things on fire?" Allie cottoned on.

"A LOT OF THINGS!" Hermione yelled at the two girls. The Ravenclaw shrugged.

"That's what you think."

"Just go to class," the elder groaned. Mia and Allie shrugged and walked off.

The two girls watched two students complain about divination as they walked to class. Allie turned to Mia.

"Why is Divination even an elective?" she wondered curiously.

Mia shrugged thoughtfully.

"It would make more sense to just test people if they could see the future or not," she agreed. Glancing around, she lowered her voice and motioned to Allie to move in closer. "I think one of the Ravenclaws is a Seer," she whispered.

"Luna Lovegood?"

"Yeah. She showed me those blood pops and made comment that almost eerily came true minutes later." Allie gagged.

"Ew." Mia pouted at her.

"They tasted good!"

"YOU TRIED ONE?!" Allie screamed and Mia grinned.

"Yup!" The two turned to go to class when Allie let out a gasp.

"Oh shoot!"

"What?" Mia blinked at her.

"We have that essay due and I didn't do it," she groaned. Mia shrugged.

"You'll come up with something. Heck, say you gave the textbook to me. He freaking took mine and never gave it back."

The Hufflepuff giggled.


	4. Chapter 4

"Pass your homework to the front," Professor Snape drawled. "Carter, Li, Abbott...Ms. Baker, where is your homework?"

"Well," Allie said with a smile, "it's a long story. Are you sure you want to hear?"  
"No," Snape grumbled. "But I'd probably better."

Allie nodded seriously. "Ok. So, I was going to the library to get my work done," she paused for dramatic effect.

"And?" Snape prompted.

"Oh, right!" Allie cleared her throat. "However, I took a quick detour outside to check for the unicorns, nargles, and Flibbertigibbets.

"What's a Flibbertigibbet?" Anthony Carlyle called out.

"Why, Anthony, I'm glad you asked!" Allie grinned. "Luna told me about them. They are pesky little creatures that cause your spells to go wonky."

"Do Flibbergibbets really matter?" a girl sighed.

"It's Flibbertigibbets," Allie corrected.

"Can we get back to the story please?" Snape snarled.

Allie nodded "SO, I went to visit the unicorns. And they were really pretty. One was gold, and some were white, and there was even a silver one. There were also off-white, and cream, and pearl colored - pearl colored is really pretty. But I wanted a pink unicorn-"

"Miss Baker!"

"Fine, fine," Allie huffed. She cleared her throat. "And so I went to the library, but the potions book wasn't there!"

"Don't you have your own copy?" Snape asked exasperatedly.

"I lent it to Mia," Allie explained. Snape turned to look at the brunette, who waved.

"You took mine, remember?"

Snape scowled at Mia, before turning back to Allie. "Continue."

"Kay, so but then it was dinner, so I didn't have time to find Mia. Because it's not healthy if you don't eat three meals a day," she said importantly. "But dinner that night was pesto chicken and tuna salad. I'm a vegetarian."

"Since when?" Snape asked.

"Since when?" Mia echoed.

Allie scowled. "Since I met Hagrid. He taught me that all creatures are amazing and should be respected. Well, except for bugs."

"But you ate brisket last night," Mia pointed out.  
"Stalker," Allie muttered. Mia gave her a wide grin.

"You say that like I wasn't ta-" Allie cut her off,

"I stopped being a vegetarian after three days though. Pasta was getting boring."

"So are we finished?" Snape asked in a bored tone.

"No!" Allie exclaimed. "Because I didn't eat dinner, I was hungry, and went to the kitchens. The house elves gave me chocolate pudding and treacle tart and cupcakes! Do you like cupcakes?" she blinked innocently. Mia made a gagging sound.

"I hate cakes and tarts."

"Are you not human?" a boy questioned. Mia grinned wickedly.

"No, I'm a witch."

"No," Professor Snape scowled, ignoring the students.

"What about chocolate? Vanilla? Red Velvet? Shut up Mia!"

"Since when is 'Shut Up Mia' a cake flavor?" Snape said dryly.

"Since Allie decided it was?" A boy from the back of the class called out. Everyone but Snape laughed. Mia hummed.

"I'll bet it tastes like those blood pops Luna showed me, if it's a human flavored cake."

"MISS CARTER!" Snape looked horrified, but Mia just shrugged.

"I'm a strange, morbid, girl."

"Mia, why are we friends again?"

"Seven years and I'm still asking," said girl sighed.

While the girls were finishing their conversation, the Hufflepuff boy in the back had turned around to talk to his seatmate. A couple Ravenclaws has pulled out their books, and a Puff or two was sleeping.

"I would like to finish my story!" Allie announced loudly. When everyone had quieted down, Allie took a deep breath. "Now, where was I?"

"Cupcakes," a Ravenclaw called out.

"Right. Thanks. So, after visiting the house elves, it was time for my daily half an hour of reading. I was in the middle of Percy Jackson again. They just found the monster donut shop. So that got me thinking. Where can I get a sword? Cause we all know I'd be wicked at it."

Mia coughed, hiding a snicker. She'd tried to teach the other fencing before and it was a mess.

Allie ignored her. "And you want to know what I found- about the homework," she added hastily, seeing Professor Snape's glare trained on her. "In conclusion, by the time I got back from the library, talking to McGonagall, and begging Dumbledore to let me get a sword, it was bedtime."

"But you still had three days!" Snape said incredulously.

Allie tilted her head to the side. "You're not the only teacher who gives homework," she pointed out. "But I have an explanation involving birds, an old cat, ripping intestines, and two huge eggs. Do you-?"

"No!" Snape practically yelled. "I want to start my lesson!" he said, only to be interrupted by the bell. "You did that on purpose!" he accused his student, only to turn around and discover that they were already gone. Anticipating Snape's mood, they had scurried out the minute the lesson ended.

(OvO)

_ ( )_

# #

"Baker!" Professor Snape yelled, spotting his target in the Great Hall. After the girl had run out of class, he had chased her down all over the castle, until she had Transfiguration.

Snape stomped over and grabbed hold of her sleeve, dragging the protesting girl to Headmaster Dumbledore.

"Headmaster, this girl refused to shut up and talked of nonsense for the entirety of my lesson!" he complained. Mia snickered, drawing the trio's attention. "And since when is Carter here?!"

"Since you left the door open," Mia responded. Her face became unreadable. "Don't worry, it happens a lot."

"Headmaster, I want her expelled," Snape said, pointing to Allie, who had an innocent look on her face.

Dumbledore turned to Mia. "Miss Carter, what happened?"

"Well, Professor Snape said that Allie could explain why she didn't have her homework, and it's not her fault that it was a long reason," Mia shrugged.

"Severus, is this true?" Dumbledore turned to his colleague.

"Albus, she was spouting off nonsense about pink unicorns, monster donuts, and Flittigibbets, whatever those are!" Snape exclaimed.

"Flibbertigibbets," both Allie and Mia corrected.

"Severus, just because you don't know of something, doesn't mean it doesn't exist," Dumbledore said disapprovingly.

"Wait, your name is Severus?" Allie cut in. Mia's face lit up.

"OOH! Like severed fingers. Speaking of fingers, did you know the last man in England to be given the thumbscrew was taken to Edinburgh, because it was illegal! I've always wanted to perform a thumbscrew."

Dumbledore laughed jovially and Snape growled.

"Now Severus, I believe that we can simply take five points from Miss Baker for not having her homework, and you two can be on your way," Dumbledore said.

"What about detention?" Snape complained.

"But then I won't have time to do your essay!" Allie told him innocently.

With a swish of his robes, Snape stormed out of the room.

"Bye Professor Sevvy!" Allie called out behind him, waving. "Thanks Headmaster," she added, turning to leave.

"Five points to Hufflepuff for a great story," she heard behind her.


	5. Chapter 5

"Luna… what's this?" Mia ran up to the second year, she had finally found her!

"Were you drawing?" The blonde hummed as she scanned the page and Mia giggled.

"Yup!"

"The thing that flies without wings?"

That was a riddle! There was her answer, at least the only answer she'd get from Luna.

"Thanks, Lulu!" Mia grinned and Luna laughed.

"Not at all!" Luna giggled once more and skipped off as Allie walked over to her and grabbed her hand. Mia eagerly followed. Allie had that look in her eye she got when she had a plan. Mia quickly snagged two Galleons from a snoozing student and slipped them in her pocket. She needed to be prepared.

"Psst, Fred, George," Allie whispered, Mia behind her.

"What?" George hissed back.

"Can you sneak us into Hogsmeade?"

Fred gasped. "Oh, my little kiddies are all grown up," he said, wiping a pretend tear from his eye.

"Already want us to sneak them into Hogsmeade, right Forge?"

"You got it, Gred."

(OvO)

_ ( )_

# #

Mia hummed to herself as she entered the pawn shop.

"What ya want?" a scruffy looking man said roughly.

"I just have some stuff to sell," Mia said lazily. She thought he looked kind of stupid, honestly.

"What?" the man demanded.

Mia grinned impishly. "Two gold coins. They're pure."

The man's eyes widened. "I'll give you six hundred for it."

Mia snorted. "I'm not that gullible.

"£29473.89," her bargain was hard, and the man began to get angry. He knew he couldn't fight her, she wasn't scared of him and from her stance, she let him know that knew what she was doing. The air grew tense as he tried to plead.

"I'm trying to run a business here," he finally said. She scoffed, making her obvious but intangible power over him clearer. She didn't know why she was so easily able to dominate him, but she wasn't wasting a minute.

"These coins are thousands of years old. Nothing less." The man's face was white with her sharp words.

"F-fine."

"In cash. Now." Gosh, Mia felt so smug as the man tried to regrow a spine.

"Hand over the coins first." He blustered, and Mia gave him a hard stare. So hard, he started to sweat.  
Mia pulled out two gold galleons from her pocket. "Money first."

He gave her the money and stared at her fearfully as she counted the money. Finally, she pulled the coins from her pocket, watching his face as she placed them on his counter deliciously slowly. She gave him a wide and cute smile, so cute it gave the man whiplash.

"Pleasure doing business with you!"

And she skipped out of the shop to activate her portkey, significantly richer.

It wasn't until she got back that she realized what she had done. Her magic intimidated the man into something he hadn't wanted. Sway is fine… but making people fear her? She wasn't a witch.

She was a monster.

(OvO)

_ ( )_

# #

Meanwhile, while Mia was dealing with pawn shops, Allie was enjoying her time in Hogsmeade, uh, the castle. Definitely the castle.

"So what do Nargles look like?" she asked her new friend Luna Lovegood, who was also definitely in the castle.

"Oh, well they're really mean, and they steal your stuff. They have brown or black hair and blue or green eyes," Luna said.

"And heliopaths?"

"Those like eating your clothes. They're all white, but some have tiny black spots.," Luna paused thoughtfully. "They look like butterflies."

Allie laughed. "Luna those are real."

"Really?" Luna asked excitedly.

"Yeah, they're called moths."

(OvO)

_ ( )_

# #

"Did you hear?"

"A broomstick!"  
"Firebolt!"  
"Are you sure?"

"Positive."

Mia, hearing the rumors, walked out of the common room and headed straight for the Great Hall. "Harry Potter!" she called, spotting the Gryffindor sitting at his table with Allie. "Damn, you beat me here," Mia pouted before turning to Harry. "Is it true that you got a firebolt?"

"Well, not anymore," Harry said glumly. "Hermione thought it might be cursed."  
"Why? Who was it from?" Mia asked curiously.

"It wasn't signed," Ron jumped in. "She shouldn't have taken it to McGonagall, though."

"Wait - hold it - did you open the package?" Mia asked Harry, who nodded.

"Yes." His voice was quiet.

Allie shook her head. "An unsigned package when there's a mass murderer on the loose? That was your first mistake."

"Ok, ok, I'm sorry!" Harry exclaimed throwing his hands up in the air. "I'll go apologize to Hermione, admit that she was right, and go to Madam Pomfrey to see if there's a curse on my hands because I touched the broom. Happy?"  
Mia shrugged. "Have it your way." She left quickly, dropping the subject like rat dung.

Allie nodded. "Just remember, Harry, the ladies are always right. Especially if they think something's cursed. I doubt Hermione wants to find you in the hospital just because you fell off a cursed broom."

Mia stopped listening and let herself see the strings. Time slowed down as she as she stared at the golden string. She hadn't noticed before, but it was moving. Then it clicked.

Time. That's what Luna meant.

She couldn't stop it, but she pulled on a small, thin string, and tied it around the golden rod. Her eyes widened as a thousand images flashed through her mind. Followed by pain.

And then there was nothing.

Allie blinked in confusion when she saw Mia stand up at her table and did something with her hands. But suddenly, her eyes widened and she collapsed with a gasp.

"MIA!"

(OvO)

_ ( )_

# #

Mia came to in the infirmary. Allie stood by her, and listened to her babbling. She spoke of magic strings and bleeding skulls. Her eyes were dead, and Mia didn't leave the infirmary for weeks. When she did, however, she kept talking about the strings, and seemed to be out of it for a week. But the next time Allie spoke to her after, she acted like it never happened.

And now she was going to cheer her up.

Allie turned to Mia, her eyes were blank as she read the tome in front of her. The girl had been off to her since that Christmas. She was either doing schoolwork or enchanting objects. It was the end of January.

"Wanna see what kind of trouble we can get into?" Mia smirked at the girl. Even that didn't reach the dark haired girl's blue eyes.

"If you're starting this? We're gonna die, aren't we?"

"It's Tuesday. I can restrain myself," the blonde huffed. Mia laughed hollowly.

"No you can't, Allie."

"I wanna burn this place to the ground." Mia blinked slowly.

"It's a stone castle, you won't get far," her voice was deadpan.

"But I'd feel better if I tried!" Allie puffed and Mia's eyes narrowed suspiciously.

"Who pissed you off?"

"Oh, I give up," Allie grumbled, stomping away.

"Ssshhh!" Madam Pince hissed.

Mia rolled her eyes and followed the girl, who was already doing something in the snow.

"What are you doing?"

"Building a snowman!" Allie's back was to her.

"People don't have antlers," Mia pointed out with a smirk. Allie grinned. This was the Mia she knew.

"Shut up, and I say that with all love and affection. They're cute!"

"People don't have...is that a nose ring?"  
"No, Mia, it's a chocolate chip." Allie pulled it out and threw it at her.

"Let's just go to that thing you had planned." Mia said, swatting the transfigured rat dung to the ground. Allie jumped up.

"Yay!"


	6. Chapter 6

"Snape. Snape. Severus Snape. Snape. Snape. Severus Snape," Severus Snape said reluctantly, glaring at the headmaster.

"Dumbledore!" the beaming headmaster exclaimed, popping up behind the potions master.

"H-eermione!" the brunette sang in tune.

"Ron, Ron, Ron Weasley," Ron said.

"Harry James Potter get back here! Choir isn't over yet!" Allie screeched, stopping the yelling, uh, singing. "No blue pancakes for you!"

"Allie, that threat only works on Percy," Mia sighed. Allie had been organizing this thing for weeks. She wasn't quite sure why she was there, though. She was studying the strings, not listening to Allie screw with authority. She was still trying to figure out the kinks in her enchanting. The strings she could safely touch were easily manipulated to have her desired effects. Allie still didn't know that the reason everything her wand touched ended up vibrating for a week was her. But Mia still thought it was funny.

Allie smiled wistfully, wishing she was with her friends Percy and Annabeth playing capture the flag instead of holding a frog and trying to get Ron to sing instead of screech.

"HARRY JAMES POTTER I'M CONFISCATING YOUR TRIPLE-DIPPLE ULTRA-DELUXE MELTY CREAMY CREAMER RAINBOW SWIZZLE MILK MUNCH ICE CREAM!"

Harry suddenly appeared next to her. "I wasn't trying to run away!" he insisted. "I was just going to the bathroom. Honest!"

"Snape and Dumbledore already left," Mia said from the corner. She was bent over something and running her fingers around it. Allie huffed.

"Dang it!"

CLANG!

Mia looked up it shock and knocked a sword to the floor.

"Did you just curse?" Her eyes were wide with disbelief.

"No. I said dang."

"Oh," Mia muttered and turned back to the sword.

"Mia, what are you doing?" Ron walked over to her.

"Is that a sword?" Harry asked, joining them.

Mia looked up from her finished creation and sighed. "Too bad it doesn't fit me, too short," she said to them. Allie, her eyes roving over the silver sword, stepped forward to touch it.

Allie shrugged. "So just enchant a new one," she said, fingering the jewels that were firmly set on the handle. The other three nodded before going off to class.

"Maybe," Mia mused. "Hey Allie-Allie? …. Allie get back here with my sword!"

"So long, suckers!"

"It's not for you!"

Mia chased Allie down the halls, running up and down. She'd wrapped a thin black string against the sword not knowing what it was for. She'd just found it looking withered on the floor in the string world. It wasn't long before the sword-wielding girl tripped as the sword went flying past something white. Red blood splattered the floor, but nothing was there.

"Allie!"

"I'm pretty sure that was a ghost," Allie said, glancing at her new sword, which was back in her hand. Mia rolled her eyes.

"I'm pretty sure that ghosts don't bleed."

(OvO)

_ ( )_

# #

"Attention, please," Professor Dumbledore said at dinner. "There is an apparent swordsman in a castle. If you see one of the suits of armor acting oddly, please report it to me. In addition, if anyone has any information of how to stop a bleeding ghost, please tell me or your head of house."

Allie and Mia exchanged horrified looks.

"That was a ghost," Allie whispered faintly.

Fred and George walked over.

"We need your help."

The girls listened as they explained their request. Mia poorly suppressed a laugh.

"Allie?" the twins widened their eyes, pleading.

"I'm not helping you take over the world. Even if you bribe me with cookies," Allie glared. Fred sighed.

"Why not?"

"Cause I'm doing it already. You can be my minions." Allie grinned. Mia sighed, shaking her head. She never did understand her friend's obsession with power and taking over the world. They never said anything beyond pranking McGonagall. Maybe it was her height? Allie elbowed her, as though she heard her thoughts.

"Mia?" the duo tried next.

"This plan is going to get us killed, I'm in." Mia laughed jovially. She wanted to prank the unprankable teacher. All their plans fell through. But a tiny part of her squirmed, knowing what she'd have to do to make this enchantment. Those strings. That stupid golden string and all that pain it caused her. George laughed.

"Yes!"

"I'm going to need chicken blood, salt, a spoon made of organic material, five candles, an hourglass, and a bottle of vodka," Mia said, consulting her ever present book. Even Allie rarely saw inside, she was that protective of it. Allie turned to her,

"Vodka? For the spell?"

"To make me feel better about ripping a hole in spacetime." Mia said bluntly. George glared at her, for once feeling responsible for the situation.

"You're 11!" Fred exclaimed, attempting to dissuade her.

"You sound like Allie! Do you want me to make the time turner or not?"

"Fine… come with us." They said in unison, defeated

"Wait for me," Allie grumbled. "I have to stop you from seriously injuring yourself. Plus there's a potion and I will write to your mother if you give Mia vodka."

Mia laughed, "You did say you wanted to be a potions mistress."

The twins gasped in shock at the thought of their mother being informed of their mischievousness as Mia ran ahead to the secret passage out of Hogwarts.

"Ooh! Look at all the pretties!" Mia eagerly grabbed a tall thin bottle and examined it the second they entered the alcohol store. Allie sighed.

"Can you not talk about alcohol like I would shoes?"

"You're obsessed with shoes," Mia deadpanned.

"I know. Let me be girly."

"... Never use a social norm with me again," Mia huffed. Allie, coincidentally, directed her eyes to Mia's shoes.

"Can I borrow your flats? They match with BlackSkirt#23 better than mine."

"You number your skirts?" Fred asked.

"They all look the same." George continued.

"Aren't they the same? And we're different sizes." Mia blinked.

"Of course not! They're from different brands. And shrinking and growing charms exist." Allie replied.  
"Like I know what that means." Fred muttered.


	7. Chapter 7

"Next tool! We need a wooden spoon." Mia directed the conversation by tugging them into a shady looking shop. Allie looked over the large, dark, paddle-like spoon that Mia haggled the owner into selling for cheap.

"Cool!" Mia looked at her with raised brows.

"Why are you so impressed by wooden spoons?" Allie sighed and scowled at the bottle she was holding.

"I'm not, I'm just trying to pretend that I'm okay with this."

"Fine, we'll return the vodka. But I want a gun." Mia's dead response startled Allie. Mia knew she knew what would happen if she got it. She laughed nervously.

"Vodka it is! But….I'll be taking the bottle. Do you like your penne spicy or cheesy?"

"I want to _drink_ the vodka, Allie." Mia sighed. Did she not understand the kind of toll playing with strands of the universe took? When she touched that golden string, she saw thousands and millions of years. She was old, she was young, she suffered and caused suffering and it ripped her head in half. It made her want to _die._ Allie herself sighed.

"I know," she answered like the question had been out loud. The magic they were doing was powerful, but could be considered so wrong. Anytime she did those odd motions with her hands when her eyes blanked out, things happened. Allie didn't know what exactly the spells in the books did, but she knew that they did something to Mia. She had the strangest depressive episodes afterwards. She wasn't sure what went on, and it bothered her.

"So I will drink the vodka." Mia explained. Their faces were serious, so serious and almost sad that the boys lagging behind them were worried at the sight. Allie's face went back to normal.

"Fine. But only a bit," she huffed, thinking of how she paid the cashier to stick a vodka label on a bottle of sparkling grape juice without the knowledge of the other three.

"Well duh, I just wanna get tipsy. That won't take much," Mia said, casually holding a real bottle with the same label behind her back.

"I'll let you drink one shot of the real bottle hidden behind your back if we give the twins the grape juice one." Mia wouldn't put it past the other girl. But one shot wouldn't numb the pain that she needed to so badly.

"A glass of my choosing. What about that fake you're holding?" The lighter haired girl sighed, for the thousandth time that day. Her friend needed to stop doing those spells, or she was going to get addicted to something bad.

"Deal, as long as it's not bigger than 356 ml. The grape juice is for the twins. And you announce to the Great Hall that Allie is the most amazing person in the world."

"We already knew that?" Her statement came out as a question as though it were obvious. Allie flushed.

"Aww! Thanks! You'll drink after the spell." Mia gave her an incredulous look.

"Well duh, I don't want to die." _Yet._

"Let's go to dinner," the Hufflepuff laughed.

"Okay. But these should go in my room." Mia nodded her head towards the bottles, serious expression back. Some of the students and teacher kept shooting the two looks. Allie yelped.

"No! I don't trust you not to drink it!"

"Puffs get room searches, and I can stay with you until nighttime when I'm going to bed," Mia reasoned. Allie frowned.

"That's why there's a hidden compartment in my trunk that only I can open. I am not leaving you with the vodka," Allie stated firmly, grabbing both bottles of vodka and sticking them in her bag. Mia gave her a serious look.

"So there's no way they can be found?" Allie grinned.

"Nope! Plus, if they ask, I can just open up the grape juice one and tell them it's a prank on you." Mia laughed, smiling for the first time in hours. When she wasn't doing things with the strings, enchanting, or doing things in that realm, she was happy. The silvery blue strings didn't hurt her. It was the different ones that messed with her mind. Especially the time strand. Yet she couldn't stop touching it. It shone like a cruel siren's song and she always found herself in front of it hand on the icy metal with her mind on fire.

"Then I'm cool with it. I have to head to the kitchen and get rock salt and the blood. It needs to mature overnight in a pewter bowl. Then we mix eggs and rock salt together. We set the hourglass in a magic rune circle made of the blood and pour the eggs on it-" Mia was cut off by Allie.

"The only reason I'm going along with this is to stop you from getting killed." Mia laughed.  
"Plus you like-"

"Don't even finish that sentence. Goodnight Mia!" Allie said at lightning speed, running off.

Mia smirked. "Allie and-"  
"MIA!"

(OvO)

_ ( )_

# #

"Just wear mine!" Mia called out when she heard Allie in her closet muttering about tearing. Allie poked her head out, unsurprised by Mia's calling.

"I don't know if you're aware of this, but I am quite petite." Mia rolled her eyes.

"Really, Allie, over eight years I've never noticed a thing."

"Point made." Allie laughed and disappeared for a few minutes before coming out in one of Mia's tee-shirts.

"Is that blood?" Mia gasped at the sight of her smaller friend's arm bruised and bloodied. Allie gave her a weak smile.

"No?"

"Allie that's not a question to be answering with another question. What happened?" Her voice was firm and Allie sighed.

"It was a Gryffindor boy. He tripped me and left before I could hex him."

"Name. Now." Mia looked livid, like the air around her was crackling with energy. Energy to _hurt_ this boy.

"Eric Snow," Allie finally admitted. She rolled her eyes. "I tripped and fell into him and he got mad."

Mia left Allie to her own devices. She had some lion hunting to do.

"Eric Snow, right?" She finally found him. He was a sixth year, and she was not comfortable with how his eyes roamed her body.

"Ah, what do need?" Even his _voice_ was sleazy.

"This," Mia said sweetly before landing a harsh punch to his face. With a sweet smile, she watched him spit out a tooth. She walked off before anyone said a thing, too stunned at her response. That bastard wasn't going to be trying anything anytime soon.

Later as Mia and Allie sat by Dumbledore's office, Mia was still holding his teeth. She'd be using them later. Allie hissed at her.

"This is your fault,"

"I hope so," her response made Allie gasp.

"What?!"

"Nobody lays a finger on my friends," Mia said simply before going back to fidgeting with the teeth.

"Now do you wanna tell me why you wanted teeth?"

Mia gasped, making a connection. "Wait that's what happened?"

"Duh," Allie giggled. "Honestly, Mia all he did was cast a tripping jinx on me. You should really start to recognize a glamour." Mia shot her a toothy grin.

"You seriously belong in Slytherin."

"The most Slytherin person is the one who isn't sorted into Slytherin," Allie said in response, sending the two into a laughter fit. The girls headed outside into the frigid weather.

"So what did you want with a tooth?"

"I'll tell ya later," Mia's face turned blank. Allie just shrugged.

(OvO)

_ ( )_

# #

The two had gone to bed early and boy were they regretting it now. The Great Hall was filled with whispers. There was talk about a break in. Mia waited for the authorities to call for quiet. As the room was dark and silent, Mia called out.

"SLEEP TIGHT, YA MORONS!"

The room erupted into whispers and giggles. Allie sighed and yelled out.

"SHUT UP! (and I say that with all love and affection,)" she added as Snape stormed towards her.

And the room was quiet again.


	8. Chapter 8

"My eyes! My eyes! I can't see, my eyes! Professor Snape, help me!" Allie screeched, stumbling around the potions classroom like a maniac. "Sa-aaa-aaa-ve mee-eee-eee!"

Severus Snape sighed and handed the crazy Hufflepuff a tissue. "Wipe off your glasses," he stated. "I believe that you will find yourself able to see again."

"Oh, thank you, Professor," Allie gasped dramatically. "It was terrible not being able to see."

"I would give you detention, but-"  
"I'll see you tonight!" Allie interrupted.

"-I'd like to keep my sanity," Snape concluded as the brat, er, girl skipped out of his classroom singing about time bombs.

Four hours later, Allie headed down to the Potions classroom.

"Hello? Anyone home?" Allie called. Frowning, she stood outside the door, shifting from one foot to the other. Taking a leaf from her doormat, she yelled, "DING DONG REALLY LOUD!"

The door flew open. "Detention is cancelled," Professor Snape sneered, before slamming the door.

"But Professor," Allie pleaded, "What should I do?"  
Snape opened the door a crack. "Do whatever you want, I don't care."

"I need a note excusing me from detention," Allie called back. "Or else Professor McGonagall will think I'm ditching detention."

"So write a note and I'll sign it," Professor Snape sighed.

Reaching into her bag, Allie pulled out a piece of parchment and a quill.

"Allie Baker is excused from," she coughed, "detention. Signed, insert name here," she read.

Professor Snape eyed her suspiciously as he grabbed the note

 _Allie Baker is excused from dettention._

 _Signed,_

 _ **Severus Snape**_

Snape handed the note to Allie. "Go."  
Allie eagerly ran away, the precious note clutched in her hand. As soon as she was far away from the dungeons, Allie smoothed out her purposefully messy note and picked up her quill. She added the word 'any' before detention. In the larger gap, she wrote, ' _On March 23, and any other day she wishes, Allie Baker is given permission to do "whatever you want," as quoted from Professor Severus Snape, Potions Master at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.'_

Quickly, she ran to the statue of the one-eyed witch, muttered _Dissendium_ , and set off to Hogsmeade.

After purchasing 200 galleons worth of candy, Allie, her three hundred eighty-nine galleons, and 42 shrunken bags of candy went to the bookstore, Piper's Paperbacks. In the History section, Allie found an old book simply titled _My Journal_ that was sealed with a lock.

"I should practice my lock-picking skills," she agreed with herself, adding the book to her basket.

 _Moste Potente Potions_ and _Charms around the World_ were quickly added as well. _Enchanting Objects_ was next, as a gift for Mia. Her friend's newfound obsession with enchantments was a blessing to the both of them. Books on stock exchange, finances, and business, as well as the Wizengamot, were soon added to the growing pile. Two different books on pranking (one spells, one potions) were added for the twins' birthday. Allie paid an even 100 galleons ("I'll knock off the extra 7, dearie,") for her books, before leaving with a skip in her step. She stocked up at the Apothecary, and bought a few pranks, before heading to The Three Broomsticks to purchase a butterbeer.

"Miss Baker!" Professor McGonagall said, shocked as she bumped into the first year. "What are you doing out of school?"

"Professor Snape gave me permission," Allie said innocently, a small smile playing at her lips. She handed Professor McGonagall a note. "I sent a copy to Professor Dumbledore and the goblins for filing references, and this is the original."  
The transfiguration teacher grabbed the note and studied it for a minute. She thrusted it back to Allie before turning around and heading straight back into the Three Broomsticks.

"I'll need a second firewhiskey for this," McGonagall muttered. "Perhaps I'll see if Severus wants to join as well."

(OvO)

_ ( )_

# #

"Wait… you had a dream about flying rats?"

"Yeah?"

"OH MY GOSH I HAD THE SAME DREAM!"  
"REALLY?!"

"No. Are you crazy?"

"You got me."

"You said your name is Cho?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Never use that name with a Chinese person, promise me."

"Why?"

"Cho means stinky in Chinese."

"Oh."

(OvO)

_ ( )_

# #

"Hey, Baker," Draco Malfoy sneered, "Ready to lose in Quidditch?"  
"Kind of hard to lose in something I don't do," was the girl's answer. "But I can take you on any day."

Malfoy scowled. "Right here, right now?"

"Sure," Allie said breezily. "How about, first one to get to Hagrid's hut wins?"

"You're on," Malfoy said arrogantly. "What are the stakes?"

"⅓ of the Malfoy fortune and three favors," Allie wagered. "And if you win, I'll be your personal servant for a week, and get every muggleborn to bow to you for that period."

The blonde's eyes gleamed, already envisioning himself being fanned by the annoying mudblood. "You're on," Malfoy retorted.

10 minutes later, they had drawn up an acceptable contract. Allie signed, followed by Malfoy, before the contract vanished with a puff of gold glitter.

"One, two, three, go!" a random student from Ravenclaw exclaimed, causing Draco to run off from the landing in Trelawny's tower.

Allie rolled her eyes. "Accio Broom, Alohomora!" she chanted, first summoning a broomstick, and second opening the nearby window. When her broom arrived seconds later, Allie swung her leg over the edge and flew out the newly opened window. Allie shot out the window, and seconds later, she appeared at the hut well before Draco Malfoy. When the Malfoy heir finally turned up a few minutes later, huffing, Allie was waiting for him, sitting on a conjured lounge chair.

It was the first time Allie had seen Draco Malfoy speechless.

(OvO)

_ ( )_

# #

"Baker!" Draco Malfoy yelled as he caught up with her, huffing. "I want a rematch."  
"Why should I do that?" Allie said casually, not wanting to appear too eager.

"I'll wager my Italian summer home, Parisian Hotel, and Spanish Chateau."  
"Deal."

(OvO)

_ ( )_

# #

"And so, we have the second contest between Draco Malfoy and Allie Baker," Lee Jordan announced. "The rules are as follows - the contestants must get a copy of Hogwarts, A History. Two copies of said book were placed on the top of a mountain 6 miles away. No potions are allowed, except those used by Draco Malfoy. No spells are allowed, except those used by Draco Malfoy. No charms are allowed, except those used by Draco Malfoy. No magical items are allowed, except those used by Draco Malfoy. For every minute that Draco Malfoy takes that Allie Baker doesn't, she gets one galleon. Go!"

Malfoy immediately starting off running towards the mountain, while Allie stayed still.

"Let me get this clear - the first one back here with Hogwarts, A History, wins?"  
"Yep."

"And if I simply stay put?"  
"Malfoy will owe you a lot of galleons, but you'll lose."  
Allie hummed. "I see."

Two hours later, Allie got up off her chair and stretched, before walking down to Hogsmeade to Piper's Paperbacks. She exited holding a copy of _Hogwarts, a History_.

"Does this count?" she asked Lee.

"Definitely."

"Good thing I ordered the book yesterday," Allie said, satisfied.  
"And called to make sure it was in," George added.

Draco returned three days later, and fainted upon hearing that he had to pay Allie over 103,000 galleons. Of course, that was on top of the 12 million galleons he already owed her.


	9. Chapter 9

Allie got up one Sunday morning, got dressed and ate breakfast, and promptly stepped into fire.

No, she wasn't dead. Rather, Allie was in the Ministry of Magic.

"No, we aren't killing off the main characters," Allie clarified to the narrator.

Allie walked to the lift, and when it arrived, pressed the button for floor 8.

"Minister for Magic's office," a smooth voice said.

The 11 year old strode towards Cornelius Fudge's office.

"Ahh, Minister!" she exclaimed, pushing the doors to his office open amid the protests of his secretary. "I'm so sorry I'm late for our meeting- oh my, what is Mr. Malfoy doing here?"

Cornelius Fudge looked flustered. "I'm sorry, miss-"  
"No, I'm sorry, I'm late," Allie cut in. "Lucius Malfoy, nice to meet you. I'm Allie Baker, you might know of me through your son?"

"Yes," Lucius said slowly. "He, ah, doesn't exactly have the most favorable opinion of you."

"Well, it's not _my_ fault that he does not act like a Slytherin, is it?" she said amicably.

While Lucius's face turned rather red, Allie turned to Fudge. "Remember, the meeting with the goblins is today," she reminded the minister.

"Ah, yes, that. Today?"

"Yes, Minister. The goblins will be here any minute, I'm afraid you'll have to ask Mr. Malfoy to leave," Allie said.

"Lucius has my full confidence," Fudge insisted.

"Well then, if he says one thing I'm afraid he'll have to leave," Allie compromised.

"Now, you are an 11 year old! What makes you able to be here in an important meeting!" Malfoy fumed.

"Now, now, Lucius," Allie reprimanded. "I, unlike you, am a friend of the goblins, and I, unlike you, haven't lost ⅓ of my fortune in childish bets.

"Ah, there are our visitors," she cried as Lucius' mouth resembled a fish.

(OvO)

_ ( )_

# #

"Yes, yes, so I'll send the invitations to the ball," Fudge promised as the goblins prepared to leave. "Ministry Charity Ball, it has a nice ring to it."  
"And we'll convince rich people to donate stuff," Snaptooth the goblin grunted. His companion, Grimenail, nodded.

"And we'll match the amount you make."

"Perfect," Allie beamed, clapping her hands. "So the money will be split between the Ministry, Hogwarts, and St. Mungos. What an amazing idea, Minister!" she said, winking at the goblins.

Snaptooth bared his teeth. "And when we get our good publicity, we will cancel the Ministry's debts."

"Thank you!" Allie called as the duo flooed away. "I'll leave you with Lucy, shall I?" she said, nodding her head as to where Lucius Malfoy was bound and gagged in the closet.

"Yes," Fudge agreed. "So nice to meet you, Miss Baker."  
"Call me Allie," Allie said airily. "And _anytime_ you need my help, I'm only an owl away."

"Yes, yes," Fudge mused. "Call me Cornelius. And Allie?"  
"Yes?"  
"I would appreciate your help in planning…"

"What's the budget?"  
"I'd say a thousand galleons?" the minister offered. Allie nodded.

"I'll pass along details in a week, please send three female representatives to Hogwarts to help."

Cornelius agreed and Allie happily flooed back to Hogwarts.  
Of course, not before visiting Diagon Alley and getting ice cream.

(OvO)

_ ( )_

# #

Narcissa Malfoy, Amaryllis Greengrass, and Scarlett Zabini walked up the to the gates at Hogwarts together, each lost in their own thoughts.

Why were they going to Hogwarts to plan the Ministry Ball? Since when is there a teacher named Allie Baker? How should I kill my latest husband?

"Welcome," a first year greeted the trio cheerfully. "I'm Allie Baker, I believe you'll be helping me with the ball?"  
"Ah, yes," Narcissa said smoothly. "However, I was under the impression that Allie Baker was a teacher, with all of Cornelius' glowing praise."  
"Not yet," Allie chuckled. "I have a team of students inside, they'll be performing at the ball too."  
"Who?" Scarlett inquired.  
"The Hogwarts Dance Team," Allie informed her.

"Since when does Hogwarts have a dance team?" Amaryllis asked.

"Since two days ago," Allie said casually, leading the women up to the castle. "Its members are me, Hermione Granger, Daphne and Astoria Greengrass, Luna Lovegood, Susan Bones, Ginny Weasley, Padma and Parvati Patil, Lavender Brown, Tracey Davis, and Pansy Parkinson. We have some boys for a partner dance, Harry Potter, Dean Thomas, Blaise Zabini, Theodore Nott, Draco Malfoy, Cedric Diggory, Anthony Goldstein, Fred Weasley and Oliver Wood."

"Well, it's quite nice that my son is participating," Narcissa said.

"We'll be performing a ballet, Aurora," Allie told them.  
"I don't believe I'm familiar with that ballet," Scarlett commented, raising an eyebrow.

"It's a muggle ballet," Allie replied, missing the looks the three women exchanged. "You're invited to the rehearsal today. Lady Greengrass, Daphne is Princess Aurora while Theodore Nott is our male lead."  
"And what about Draco and Blaise?" Narcissa wanted to know.

"They're part of the ballet, and the princes who try to wake Aurora up."

Allie showed the trio their practice room, before settling down in the room next door.

"In front of you, you have folders for the ball. One of you will have to take us shopping, another needs to deal with food, not to mention decorations," Allie said, watching the pureblood women look at the colored folders with interest.

"I can take you shopping," Narcissa and Amaryllis volunteered at the same time.

"I'll do the food," Scarlett said. "Narcissa, Amaryllis, may I borrow your house elves?"  
"You could ask Professor Dumbledore to borrow some of Hogwarts'," Allie suggested. "Lady Malfoy, why don't you, eh, convince people to donate things? It's going to be an auction."

'I'm sure Lucius would love to donate a few things," Narcissa said smoothly. "I myself have some jewelry I have never worn."

"I have some fabulous ideas for decorating," Amaryllis cut in, leaning forwards. "White roses and Hyacinths…"  
"Perhaps sunflowers?" Scarlett Zabini suggested. "White drapes might be nice too."  
"Red and white are nice colors, maybe a touch of yellow?" Narcissa contributed.  
"I'll leave you ladies to it," Allie said, getting up. "We will be practicing next door at 3. I would suggest visiting your children at some point as well."

(OvO)

_ ( )_

# #

"Leap! Twirl! Jѐte, Hermione! Daphne, arabesque!" Allie called, clapping her hands. The girl herself pirouetted. "Boys, relevѐ in 5th!"

The girls each did two pas de chats before falling backwards into their partners' arms.

"Oliver! Get closer to Luna! Harry! Hermione is not a doll! Draco! Arm around Astoria!" Allie said, grasping Fred's hand. She pulled herself back, one leg pointing up. "That is how you do it! Thanks Fred," she said, not noticing his blush. Allie quickly fixed her ponytail. "Again, from the top! Where's my baby?"

"Here," Padma called, handing Allie a baby doll.

"Great - Susan, Tracey, and Parvati, are you ready for your Maleficent dance?"  
"Ready," Parvati, who was playing Maleficent, said confidently. Her two minions nodded. A minute later, they were pirouetting and grand jѐte-ing across the room as dramatic music played.

Allie knelt and re-tied her ballet slipper as she surveyed the room. "Draco, raise your left hand," she told Pansy's partner. "Blaise, you have to sweep Daphne off her feet, and lift her up," she said, talking to one of Daphne's many partners.

Each of the boys took a turn dancing with Aurora, ultimately giving her a rose and returning to their original dance partner. Theo would be last, and the duo would pirouette off into the sunset to conclude the ballet.

"Lady Malfoy, Lady Greengrass, why don't you drop by on Sunday so we can go shopping?" Allie requested, returning to where the three women were staring at the ballet, open mouthed.

The two agreed.


	10. Chapter 10

Lady Narcissa Malfoy arrived promptly at the leaky cauldron on Sunday morning. She had only been sitting for a minute, however, when an 11 year old girl approached the table, accompanied by a pretty brunette.

"Lady Malfoy," the girl greeted her.

Narcissa inclined her head. "Call me Narcissa."  
Together, the odd trio of Lady Malfoy, a notoriously dark family, Lady Greengrass, head of the neutral families, and Allie Baker, a muggleborn, set out for a _muggle_ store, _Harrods_.

"Narcissa? Narcissa?" Allie said worriedly. "Amaryllis, I think she fainted."

(OvO)

_ ( )_

# #

"And so," Allie said, "after Narcissa woke up, we found ballet costumes, ball gowns, sundresses, and then I apparently got a whole new wardrobe and Draco got an angry letter sent towards him for calling me a mudblood," the stunned girl concluded.

"Whatever possessed you to take two purebloods to _Harrods_ , a muggle department store?" Mia asked incredulously.

"Dunno," Allie shrugged, draping herself over a couch in the Ravenclaw common room.

"It should do it more often," Mia said offhandedly, tossing a book over her shoulder. She reached for the next pile in the stack. "What year did Murjkafhe the Most Memorable die?"  
"That's not the name of a goblin," Allie scolded, smacking Mia's arm for her earlier comment.

"Paintball the Partier? Catchermitt the pitcher? Deli-"  
"Mia, shut up."

"Allie!"  
"Don't make me blow my whistle," Allie threatened, reaching down to her bag to grab her silver whistle. Upon holding it up in the air, the 20-something Ravenclaws in the common room immediately scattered. "Why does everyone run from me?" Allie pouted. She shrugged and shoved the bracelet back into one of the only two backpacks in Hogwarts. Allie lifted the neon purple backpack over her shoulder. "Bye Mimi."  
"Don't call me Mimi!"  
Allie laughed, ducking the shoe that came flying at her head. Mia stuffed the random papers, grabbed her wand, and jumped out the window. She wandered the Forbidden Forest, trailing the hoofprints.

"Halt, human." A voice startled her. How did she not hear him come? She turned and gasped at the sight before her. Majestic body of a horse and powerful torso of man with a handsome face. She blinked, following her instincts, and bowed. It was not shallow, but deep.

"I am Mia. Witch learning in the Ravenclaw house of Hogwarts." She rose to a skeptical but contemplative seeming centaur. He seemed wilder, his eyes were dark pools.

"Ravenclaw house?"

"The house that values knowledge and wisdom," Mia responded.

"Values? And aren't those the same?" The first centaur asked. Mia smile was closed but her eyes shined with the desire to speak more that her response.

"Value does not mean possess. And they are not. A wise man is not a clever man. A clever man can get themself from a trap a wise man wouldn't fall into." Mia's head was bowed.

The centaurs eyed her.

"To grovel is cowardly," their apparent leader said coldly. Her eyes held his, stormy pools of hidden power.

"I do not grovel, I respect those who know more than I."

"Perhaps you may learn of us." One of the group said, voice low. That was a shock. Mia and the centaurs gaped at him.

"I did not know centaurs accepted humans. Even demihumans like wandholders."

"But you don't need a wand, do you?" The one who had spoken up first leered at her. The others turned to her with even wider eyes.

Mia gasped. Her eyes widened further.

"You...you can see the strings?"

"We call them the Filastrum. What I want to know is how you can see them. The last wandholder who could was a halfbreed of another species." His eyes sharpened into points as he examined her. "Your parents are both human?"

"Not a drop of magic in their blood as far as we know." Mia's response was so sure that they were inclined to believe her… but if she were borne of humans it could only mean one thing.

"Pluto is unnervingly bright tonight," one of them whispered in horror. Mia blinked in shock.

"Pluto… as in death?" Her eyes traced the sky to see Mercury shining brightly as well.

"That shouldn't be possible… I don't know how we can see it but I don't think we should be able to. And Mercury is messenger, road-traveller, harbinger… and thieves. So is someone going to steal the death of another? How?"

"By getting in the way," one of them spoke up. Mia let herself see the strings.

"That stupid rod is connecting itself in the distance to a yellow string," she said and pointed. They followed her gaze and their faces went white as they traced the yellow until it became a faded blue and rejoined the cloth of magic.

"Clotho and Lachesis and Atropos…" their voices were hushed with the words. Mia looked at the leader,

"Honored herdsleader-"

"Herdsmaster is the title, child," he interrupted and Mia nodded.

"Alright but the question still stands… what do the fates have to do with this? Clotho, I get because she makes the fabric of the universe. But where one goes, must the others follow?"

"Nay," one of them said. He looked back at the golden string, still far in the distance, "Lachesis threads the strings of life, magic, health, and prophecy."

"The strings attached to this?" Mia gestured to the rod with a hand and they nodded. "But what about the strings we can attach to objects?"

"Those are the free strings. Those of broken prophecies and lost strings of the universe," one of them explained. "My name is Firenze," he introduced. Mia inclined her head in greeting.

"I am Mia."

"I know," he laughed. "But we shall teach you our magic of enchantment should it remain a secret." Mia flushed in embarrassment,

"I have one confidant. But what of my parents or future lover?"

"I see no problem with the ones you love know that you know. As long as they do not know what you know." Firenze shrugged. The others still gaped.

"Are you sure? I do not want you exiled."

"I suppose we will tolerate you," the leader sighed. Firenze shot him a look.

"And those she cares for?"

"Perhaps. I reserve the right to trample them. But she may defend them."

Mia groaned silently. They are not going to like Allie and her goofy ways. Nevertheless, she followed them, eager to learn more of enchantment.

(OvO)

_ ( )_

# #

Allie tugged Mia to the kitchens as soon as classes ended for the day.

"Why am I here again?"

"Because I'm baking and you're helping me."

"I cook. I don't bake," Mia said blankly. She didn't know how to bake! And she was tired, she'd been with the centaurs until very late.

"I don't care!" Allie pouted and they set to baking. Mia took easy jobs and let Allie take the lead. But as soon as Allie headed of to make frosting, Mia decided to take advantage of what she'd learned. With a small tug, she grabbed the first available free-floating string. She didn't know why there were some people who could only tap into free floating strings, but she could just tap into the cloth without a wand. Not that she was telling anyone. Especially since wizardry would wage war with centaurs if they knew they could use magic. Carefully, she placed the string, a startling orange, in a spiral.

KA-BOOM!  
"Mia what the heck?!" A cake covered Allie sputtered, still holding the bowl of frosting. Mia flushed.

"The cake needed something extra!"

"SO YOU MADE IT EXPLODE RIGHT AFTER IT COOLED?!"

Mia just laughed, running from an angry Allie.


	11. Chapter 11

Head bent down, a girl labored in the dark with only a small lamp for light. Scratching on parchment with a feathery quill, the girl mumbled strange and meaningless words to herself.

"Ghosts," she whispered, "goblins," was heard a minute later.

Finally at 2 in the morning, the girl put down the pen disguised as a quill and flipped a bunch of pages over.

 _Who are...the Goblins?_ could be seen on the front. As the girl's breathing turned even, the wind coming from the open window flipped the bound pages over.

 _What do goblins value?_

 _Most of all, goblins value children. Their children are very precious to them. This is partly why line theft in goblin culture is punishable by death. To even attempt to take over a family would see you sent to the Pit. (See: Punishments). When a new house is formed, a Senior Goblin is elected to be its account manager. Like with the Wizengamot, these positions are hereditary unless the Lord of the House wishes to change the banker._

 _Goblins and their Gold_

 _Goblins greatly value gold, silver, and bronze. It is what they use to make their famous armor. Most of the ancient families' armor is goblin made. Anything goblin made is highly regarded and precious. As wizards don't exactly have the best relationship with the goblins, goblins do not like having goblin-made items in possession of wizards._

The pages flipped themselves again, settling on a page titled _Punishments_.

 _What are goblin punishments?_

 _Goblins take honor very seriously. To even be accused would see a goblin delegated to serve time in the lobby. A simple punishment would be to lose your job, or be on dragon dung duty. Others include sweeps of the vaults, training children, and paperwork. More intense punishments include torture and death. One such punishment is the Pit. Two or more goblins go into the Pit….and only one side comes out alive. It is typically used for honor fights or by getting revenge. They are not taken lightly, as it is a fight to the death._

(OvO)

_ ( )_

# #

Lucius Malfoy snarled. He growled. He raged. He stomped his feet and brought his fists down on the table.

And yes, this was the 36 year old head of house Malfoy. The letter from his son lay forgotten as Lucius threw the biggest temper tantrum his wife, Narcissa had ever seen. Narcissa hesitantly crossed the room, ducking to avoid the flying fists. She picked up the letter and read.

 _Dear Father,_

 _There is a really annoying mudblood at school. She cheated me out of 5 million galleons. Plus there were the 12, 103,000 from before. I'll challenge her to another contest. Perhaps potions? After all, Uncle Severus has been teaching me since I was 9._

 _No, I would not like to go to the Switzerland mansion. Baker took it from me. And the French Chateau is also a no._

 _It's not fair. She blackmailed me and now I have to dance in some stupid muggle ballet. Oh yeah - she wants a copy of the Malfoy family Blackmail Book. And if I don't get it for her, I'll lose my magic. It also has to be the exact copy with every bit of information we know._

 _I now owe her 7 favors. Come deal with her and put her in her place._

 _Draco_

Narcissa's eyes widened, seeing every single little slight that her son made against her new favorite girl.

(OvO)

_ ( )_

# #

"DRACO LUCIUS MALFOY! HOW DARE YOU INSULT MISS BAKER! SHE IS AN ADMIRABLE YOUNG WOMEN AND YOU WILL NOT CALL HER THAT HORRIBLE NAME! DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR? AND STOP EXPECTING YOUR FATHER TO SOLVE OF YOUR PROBLEMS. IF YOU CANNOT INTERACT WITH MISS BAKER NICELY, STAY AWAY FROM HER AND FOR YOUR SAKE, DO NOT MAKE ANY MORE BETS WITH HER!"

The howler burst into a million tiny pieces of red confetti.

Draco Malfoy sat at the Slytherin table, stunned, as red confetti drifted down into his hair.

(OvO)

_ ( )_

# #

"I have died everyday, waiting for you, darling don't be afraid, I have loved you for a thousand years. And I'll love you for a thousand more!" the girls chorused, spinning en pointe as they did. "One step closer!" they sang as Daphne/Aurora fluttered her eyes and 'woke up'. Daphne flung herself into Theo's arms as he lifted her up and twirled her over his head.

With a nod from Mia, who had been roped into attending, the boys all knelt for the girls to step up on their bent legs, which led to them being thrown gently in the air.

"Cut! Cut!" Allie yelled in frustration. "Harry James Potter, Hermione will not break if she falls!" Allie exclaimed as the boy in question flushed and suddenly found his shoes very interesting.

"Again, take 17!"

Mia edged her way out of the room amid shouts of "Plie on three! One - two - MIA SOPHIA CARTER! GET BACK HERE!"

"NO!" was the yelled response amidst the thudding of sneakers on stone as she ran away.

"Since when is 'three' pronounced as 'MIA SOPHIA CARTER?" Mia heard someone ask as she rounded a corner.

(OvO)

_ ( )_

# #

Mia ducked into a room across Hogwarts, breathing heavily. The room itself was dark, save for some dim lights focused on a mirror. On it were words in a language she did not speak. She looked at the girl in it. She was surrounded by strings, using and controlling them. Her head began to hurt. This was a puppetmaster at its finest: controlling everything. But that wasn't what disturbed Mia. What disturbed her was who the girl was.

It was her.

She was the girl in the mirror.

Mia returned to the centaurs to continue learning. They wanted her there so she had to be there. Even if it was making her into a monster.

(OvO)

_ ( )_

# #

"And that's a wrap!" Allie called out, letting the dancers free. She had her mind on other things… like her best friend's apparent drinking problem.

(OvO)

_ ( )_

# #

"What's your favorite way to eat grapes?" They'd been walking in Hogsmeade and Allie was looking through grape dishes. Mia shrugged,

"Wine."

"YOU! ARE! ELEVEN!"

"And lowkey an alcoholic. Next?"

"Why don't you like beer?" Allie asked and Mia scrunched her nose in obvious disgust.

"It's like poorly liquified bread. Ew. What do you want for your birthday?" Her eyes traced the magic alley as Allie eagerly pointed at a silver dagger.

"That!"

"I AM NOT BUYING YOU A KNIFE FOR YOUR BIRTHDAY!" Mia whirled to face her in horror. Allie pouted.

"But it's so pretty!"

Mia had ended up buying her the knife, she recalled, and enchanting it. The little gem changed colors when she tapped it now, which was kind of cool. She nervously fingered the knife, watching blue become pink as she thought about the people her friend had been meeting up with. Mia made some of the strangest friends, but this was new. Normally they were introduced, but nothing.

She was going to find them right then and threaten them, Allie decided. Perking up, she headed to the forests surrounding their school.


	12. Chapter 12

"But making people fear me is my favorite!" Allie pouted as Mia dragged her away.

"Sorry about the foolish filly I call my best friend, sir."

"I will not accept this impudence from a human," Bane growled. Mia waved her hands frantically.

"I think she's a dwarf, sir."

"HEY!" Mia kicked Allie in the shin.

"Let this one live, not only is she a youngling but I see her having great importance," a centaur said.

"You just think she's amusing," Ronan sighed.

"The other one we have accepted. She has associated herself with too many manners of life to call herself human," another centaur pointed out. The first centaur paused.

"So that means we must accept her friend?"

"Go, young ones. Do not return within the week. The full moon is soon."

"Thank you, honored herdsmaster."

And with that, a humiliated Mia dragged Allie out of the forest.

"When I introduce you to my friends, must you always embarrass me?"

"I was joking around!"

Mia hissed. "That was joking around?"

"You should joke around the mermish. They're friendly and giggly as long as you're not a veela." Allie informed her friend.

"What if you befriended a veela?" Mia asked curiously.

"As long as they don't see each other, it's fine. I asked." Allie replied as they set off to the castle.

"Just not with centaurs, okay?" Mia beseeched.

"Fine…" Allie grumbled and Mia ran off.

(OvO)

_ ( )_

# #

There was that image in the mirror again. A puppet master weaving strings in the wrong places. Pretty little braids and long complex tapestries were broken and made as the girl laughed. Mia could almost touch them. The girl turned to her, face identical to hers.

"What are you so afraid of?" The Mia in the mirror asked her. Her face was twisted and cruel. She wished she'd stop going back. But here she was.

"You," she breathed.

A sickening grin broke out on her face.

"You were made for power," she crooned. "Just use that enchanting ability like you know how to."

"STOP!" Mia screamed, and the mirror shattered. She caught the image of her lips in a smile not her own before the world went dark.

She woke up in the hospital wing. Fred, George, Luna and Ginny, the Golden Trio, and Allie stood around her bed. There were tears running down her face.

"Are you all gonna say something or just stand around my bed like creepers?" Mia asked sarcastically. The others in the exchanged glances before slowly filing out. All of them except Allie.

"You disappear on me for a few hours, and then I get called to the office and told that you were in the hospital wing?! What the heck Mia!"

"Allie, just stay away from me. I'm not safe," Mia choked out. Allie stared at her, eyes brimming with fresh tears.

"What happened to you," she breathed.

Mia's smile was bitter.

"Magic."

Allie left the room, before collapsing against the wall sobbing. If Mia heard it, she said nothing.

Fred and George looked at the sobbing girl and pulled her into a hug.

"We'll help you fix her. She helped us with that time turner, we'll help her get better," George's voice was steady and the younger looked at them with teary eyes.

"Promise me," her voice was small and Fred nodded.

"We promise."

(OvO)

_ ( )_

# #

"George?" Mia blinked in surprise to see the fifth-year leaning on the wall as she headed to class. The late March weather was still rather chilly. He grinned at her,

"Sit with me."

Mia shook her head.

"'S cold."

George laughed and jumped down, following her.

"You're not as evil as people think you are, Mia." George said to the younger girl. Mia laughed bitterly.

"I'm much worse." He glanced at the girl walking beside him. She felt dead.

"What do you mean?" He saw the dark look in her eyes even before she spoke.

"I tear with and play with the fabric of reality so much that I get a sick sense of pleasure from it. I hadn't even realized my effects, but boy do I have them. Allie does too, but she hasn't realized. I'm like, 'Don't mind me, just having an existential crisis', but I'm scared. I'm scared, George." There was something wrong with the way he was looking at her but she couldn't place it.

"Effects? What do you mean?"

"I can create enchantments that break laws. I can influence a person by letting my magic loose. I can see the strings of magic and time. I'm not a normal witch. There's something wrong with me. There's something even more wrong with me."

"So what?"

She choked, "Huh?"

"Who cares about that? You're really cool just the way you are!" George gave her a boyish grin. Mia's heart pounded. No boy had ever said that to her.

"You think so?"

"I know so. Come on! Let's go see what Gred and Allie are up to!"

He ran ahead, with a blushing Mia in tow. But maybe… maybe…

Splitting pain.

 _Disgustingpuppetplayerevil_

The world spun violently.

 _Monster_

For the second time, Mia hit the ground.


	13. Chapter 13

Allie dug through the chest, by now ignored by the other Ravenclaws. Her showing up was normal by now, and they'd just let her be. She was going through her belongings to find anything that could help her friend. She had her clothes and band shirts that Allie ignored, a stash of knives she'd interrogate her about later, letters from her parents, and jewelry that Allie recognized as hers. But nothing else. The centaurs didn't like her and Allie wasn't stupid enough to piss them off, especially since they might tell Mia. That would cause a rift and the last time she made Mia really angry… she shuddered. Mia was even lighter on her because they were friends but when that one girl tried her… she nearly ripped her face off. The doctors set her right and Mia was so innocent seeming and there were no witnesses besides her… but the reason was the kicker.

That girl couldn't have gotten to her by insulting her, hurting her, intimidating her… but then she had just threatened Allie. She said she was going to hurt her and have a friend attack her. Allie knew she was bluffing and that she would hurt the girl worse, but then Mia had leapt at her with a feral shriek. Clawing, cursing, kicking… and then the girl was a bruised mess in a heap. And Mia had insisted on walking her home that day.

Smiling at the memory, she dug further. She had to find it. Mia would fight like an animal to protect her and there was no doubt she'd do the same. Her resolve could never be broken, not even if Mia herself tried. They were best friends, and they were there for each other.

Then she saw it, hidden under her socks. A leather book with a brilliant black gem. Onyx, if she wasn't mistaken. This was the book that helped Mia make that time turner, that helped make her an animagus. That special book Mia carried almost all the time. Hands shaking, she lifted it out and put everything else back. She would find her answer here. She knew it.

(OvO)

_ ( )_

# #

Allie stepped into Gringotts a few days later, and promptly walked to Ragnok's office.

"Did you find anything?" she asked bluntly, referring to the innocent looking book sitting on the goblin's desk.

"Not really," he said mournfully. "Only that it's some form of dark magic. I would try talking to the centaurs."  
Allie winced. "They hate me."

"What did you do?" Ragnok asked, amused.

"I was just joking."  
"Sure you were," he said sarcastically.

Allie pouted. "And the other business?"

"Done. Congratulations, Lady Rosewood," Ragnok said, placing a small box on his desk. He opened it to reveal a silver ring.

Allie stared happily at the ring. The band was silver. The 'charm' on top was made out of rosewood, with an intricate rose carved and filled in with diamonds. All in all, it was gorgeous. She slowly picked it up and put it on her finger. The new Lady Rosewood felt her magic swirl around her as she became used to the new power.

"Might I ask why you picked Rosewood?" Ragnok asked, referring to the girl's new name.

"Well, rosewood is primarily feminine, and it's especially great for healing. She opened a book and showed it to the goblin.

 _ **Rosewood**_ **has compassionate and lovingheart qualities. The energy of rosewood is primarily feminine, and focused on spiritual, intuitive health and beauty. It is spiritual and nourishing. Rosewood is especially effective in spiritual healing. In matters dealing with beauty, rosewood can be very effective. Carried or worn as a charm, this wood will enhance female beauty and feminine grace. Frivolous energies will not be enhanced by this wood.**

She carefully picked up the leather book.

"I'll take your advice."

Ragnok grinned widely.

"I hope you have a liason."

"My liason is unconscious due to black magic. This should be enough to settle our differences."

The twins' birthday was today, she remembered. April first… those two were their April Fools. With a small smile, she waited for them to see the gifts she and Mia had bought a while back. Well… she bought. Mia had made the time-turner. It was a surprise that they'd forgotten about it, but with this thing about a murder on the loose, she supposed it made sense.

The twins were on the lawn, frowning at something. Upon a closer look, it appeared to be the time-turner. The small hourglass had tiny gems with anti-breaking enchantments to contain the golden sand. The kicker, was the hourglass only turned time for five minutes before kicking them back to the future. Ehehe, Mia was brilliant about it.

Stop.

Clutching Mia's book tighter to her chest, she headed for the forest.

"You again," a centaur flicked his tail in annoyance.

"Me again," Allie agreed. "Look, I know you don't like me-"

"We don't," he agreed.

"But Mia's in trouble. She's in a coma and the only info I have is that one of her books is touched by dark magic."

That stopped him.

"She's been cursed?"

"I think so," Allie frowned, handing him the book. Carefully, he ran his fingers over it. His eyes widened.

"Come with me."

He led her to a hall with many others. The glared at her as they placed the book on the table.

"We will send for you when we understand."

(OvO)

_ ( )_

# #

On the bright morning of April twenty-seventh, a radiant red letter flew in among the birds. Allie quickly opened it, before running out of the hall. They had an answer for her. She came quickly, breathing hard. The centaurs gave her a grim look.

"It's a soul gem."

"What's that?"

"It's like a horcrux, but instead of ripping your soul apart, you pull your soul out."

"How do you break it?"

"You'd need a grief seed," he grunted.

"A what?"

"That, I cannot tell you,"

"So you don't know?"

"I

"So this is a person's soul?"

"Yes, and the soul was cursed. The curse is ripping at her mind. She may never wake up." The mournful look on her face was the final nail in the coffin. She thanked them and went to the ward. She slipped the ring on Mia's finger, kissing it lightly and walked out. She had to find Luna. She didn't know why, but she was sure that she needed her.


	14. Chapter 14

She kept looking. Books and books. There was that one thing that could have been promising had it not been a muggle comic book about superpowered little girls in a language she couldn't read. She was digressing. It had been almost half a month since her conversation with the centaurs, and she had found nothing. Zip, zilch, nada. With a groan, she slammed the book shut. She picked up the gem, turning it lightly in her fingers. A voice behind her.

"Where did you find that?" It was Professor Dumbledore. Allie sighed,

"It cursed Mia, and I don't know how to destroy it,"

"This, child, is a Soul Gem. To be specific, this belonged to one I used to call a friend. Gellert Grindelwald." Allie gasped,

"Can you tell me more?"

Dumbledore pulled out the chair across from her and sat down heavily.

"There was a curse on his soul, so he took it from his body and put it in a gem. But it had already ripped his mind into that of an insane man. And since I could not destroy the gem, I could not kill him in mercy. I had to leave him to suffer before he dies without contact to this gem. Where did you find it?"  
"Imbedded in a book," Allie admitted. "The centaurs said I need a Grief Seed. But they won't say what it was."

"Grief Seeds are their best kept secrets. You will not get it from them."

"Oh," Allie muttered. Their headmaster nodded gravely,

"If I find something, anything, I will help." Allie nodded, looking over her shoulder at Fawkes, who had followed him.

"Do phoenix tears work?"

"On physical injuries. Which this is not." Dumbledore said mournfully before leaving.

May 12th.

May 12th and she got her answer on April 27th.

Mia would never wake up.

Finally, Allie buried her head in her arms and cried.

"What's this?" Luna's voice. She was pointing at the gem. She reached out to pick it up, but it shattered on contact. A Grief Seed. A human? Luna blinked in shock.

"Whoopsie?"

But Allie was running. Running to the infirmary, to see Mia wake up. But to her horror, all she saw was a still form.

(OvO)

_ ( )_

# #

Friday the thirteenth. A day of superstition and mystery. But to Allie, it was a day of failure. Mia should have been awake. The gem was broken. What had she done wrong?

She heard the whispers and saw the pity and she hated it. She hated it more than anything. All she wanted was for Mia to walk right up beside her and glare at them. Maybe even curse them out. She laughed bitterly, one misses the strangest things. A magical missive flew up to her. Strange, only the hospital ward used those. On it were only two words, scrawled quickly,

She's awake.

(OvO)

_ ( )_

# #

Allie rushed to the wing, to see Mia sitting up in her bed. She was talking to another Ravenclaw who was holding something that looked like glass. The broken soul gem, she belatedly realized. Mia caught her eye and her eyes narrowed. The Ravenclaw caught the hint and dashed from the room, dropping the remnants on the floor. Mia's eyes were practically burning with flames. Her voice rose with each word she screamed.

"OF ALL THE IRRESPONSIBLE THINGS TO DO, YOU CHOSE TO DO THIS! DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA OF HOW ANNOYED I AM WITH YOU? DON'T TOUCH THE THING THAT NEARLY KILLS YOUR FRIEND!" Tears ran down her face as she whispered, "You could have _died_ , Allie."

Staring into Mia's angry tearful eyes, Allie knew she should have felt fear. But a different emotion flowed through her.

Relief.

"You're awake."

One step, two.

Allie wrapped her arms around her, crying.

(OvO)

_ ( )_

# #

"Mia. Wake up."

Allie had been trying to wake the other up but Mia wasn't having it. She'd hit her, flared a lumos in her face, pulled her blankets off the bed, then her. Nothing. She had only one option. She grabbed Mia's collar and pulled it close.

"YOU ARE MY SUNSHINE, MY ONLY SUNSHINE!" Allie rose her voice in pitch and volume, then forced it down so low it gave her a headache to sing. Mia's eyes snapped open, and with one movement, she was smothering Allie with a pillow. Allie kept struggling against it, but Mia playfully flipped her onto the ground.

"Nope! I'm a dark an' broody!"

Uh oh.

When Mia was overtired, she acted like a small child. Something she would not get away with, between her age of eleven and physical appearance of someone thirteen. Allie knocked her out with a swift spell and put her _right_ _back in her bed_.

She really shouldn't have stood so close, she realized belatedly.


	15. Chapter 15

_She likes him, she likes him not._

Allie sat on the grass by herself, picking the petals off a single daisy.

 _She likes him, she likes him not._

Someone plopped down next to her.

 _She likes him, she likes him not._

"Back already, Mia?"  
 _She likes him, she likes him not._

"I'm not Mia," Hermione Granger said.

"Oh."  
"Are you okay?" Hermione asked. "You looked sad."  
Allie turned to the older girl. "Not really," she began. "You see, there's this boy-"  
"Ah," Hermione said knowingly. "Sorry, keep going."

"But first, he's older than me, and second, I think he likes someone else," Allie continued. "And I don't know what to do."  
 _DO NOT THINK OF HIM!_ _DO NOT THINK OF HIM!_

"Well, have you tried telling him how you feel?" Hermione pointed out, her hair waving as even still some cheers were heard from Gryffindors. Their cup win was _yesterday_ and the girls couldn't even be bothered to attend.

Allie swallowed. "But what if he doesn't like me after that?"

"Then he wasn't a good friend," Hermione said firmly.

"He's way older though."  
"How much older?"  
"Like five years," Allie shrugged.

 _BAD RED HAIR! BAD FRECKLES! DO NOT THINK OF THEM!_

Hermione bit her lip. "Dunno, I think you should just tell him that you like him."  
"Like you like Harry?" Allie said innocently.

Hermione shot to her feet. "I do not like Harry!"  
"Course you do," Allie said casually. "Come on Mione, everyone knows it but you two."  
Hermione swallowed. "I don't like Harry," she said firmly, but she sounded as though she didn't believe herself. "Anyways, I have Runes homework. Just tell him you like him, ok?"  
"As soon as you tell Harry you like him," Allie told the third year. Hermione, red and protesting, soon gave up and fell silent.

The warm May air was soothing, and Mia soon joined them.

"What's up?"

"N-nothing!" Hermione flushed and was about to leave when Mia turned to Allie.

"Were you talking about Potter?"

"Yup," Allie sighed and Mia shook her head.

"If you want to, hide your feelings, but the only one that will hurt in the end is you."

"And how would you know?! You're eleven!" Mia gave the elder a sardonic grin.

"They thought I would forget.

They were wrong.

I remember everything."

And with that cryptic message, Mia stood and left.

(OvO)

_ ( )_

# #

"What was that?" Allie approached Mia, who sighed.

"The healers weren't told about the strings. I made sure of it. But I told you about the time string. I didn't know how to handle and process the magic it lets off so when I came too close… I saw things. The centaurs thought I would forget the things I've seen but I will never forget. The battles, the births. The weddings and the divorces. The joy and the sorrow. The stupidity and wisdom, bravery and fear, the lines of imperfect humanity. And I've seen it better than most will ever comprehend."

"Mia…" Allie whispered, fear in her eyes. She had only been told the bare minimum by the centaurs and Mia didn't expand very much. Mia shot her a grin.

"Hey… I'm okay. Don't worry."

"But still…" Allie's protests stopped with Mia's mischievous grin.

"If you wanna help me feel good… you can get me some vodka?"

"YOU! ARE! ELEVEN!"

And Mia started to giggle. Then laugh. Then she was rolling on the floor, tears in her eyes when Allie realized what was so amusing to the other and began to laugh herself.

It was like nothing ever changed.

(OvO)

_ ( )_

# #

"She did it," Allie pointed to Mia who had a finger directed at her.

"No, she did it!"

"She did it!"  
"She did it!"  
"It's all Mia's fault!"  
"No, Allie's fault!"  
"Mia's!"  
"Allie's!"

"Mia's!"  
"Allie's!"

"Mia's!"  
"Allie's!"

"Allie's!"  
"Mia's-wait what?"

Allie laughed smugly. "See, even Mia agrees it was her fault. Au Revoir!"

Allie skipped off happily as Mia was faced with a confused Professor Sprout.

"I was looking through a book of potions and I-"

Professor Sprout waved her hands in the air, effectively stopping the excuse. "Which one of you knocked over the bags of dirt?"  
"Antony," the entire class, including Mia, chorused.  
"So why were Mia and Allie arguing?"

"Because Allie dared me to cast a tripping hex."

"Mia Carter, do not blame Miss Baker for this!" Sprout exclaimed.

"Teacher's pet," someone in the back muttered.

The incident ended with Mia getting a detention. She left the greenhouse. As soon as she saw Allie she beckoned the other girl over.

"It worked!"

"Duh," Allie rolled her eyes. "It was my plan. "

"Arrogance is complacency, complacency is compliance," Mia rolled her eyes. Allie blinked.

"What?"

"Never mind," Mia sighed. "Look, I'll get your trama root to make that skin cream but if this backfires, you take the fall. And that means you confess to it. I only know muggle methods so you're kind of on your own with this. Aloe and essential oils? Call me. This? I'm not much help. If you want to make this kind of stuff, coordinate with the twins. They were doing a startup anyway."

"The twins have no idea what makeup is," Allie reminded the girl. Her line of beauty products was a great idea, after all, the wizarding world had no idea what makeup was. It would surely establish the Rosewood name. "It's okay, I got it. Can I have some of the money you got from selling those two galleons? I need to place a mass order for delivery. The minute the wizarding world gets wind of my creations, everyone is going to want them." Mia giggled slightly,  
"I'm not sure I want to know, but what have you made so far?"  
"Well, I incorporated citrus flavors into the Cure for Boils potion and made it a little less potent. It'll cure acne, no doubt. Have you seen Eloise today?" Mia shrugged,

"Great. If you want, you can ask the centaurs for flowers that produce potent pigments. They've grudgingly accepted you since both me and Marxol like you." Allie's eyes widened at the idea.

"That would work. I could use them for my lipstick and eyeshadows. Since the witches have no idea as to the standards of makeup, I can just use simple items, and later, do more complex stuff when we have more money." Mia paused, pursing her lips.

"Isn't there an craze in muggle world for natural things?"Allie nodded with a frown.

"Yes, but we would lose business from purebloods. Our target audience."

"Who would know?" Mia leaned back on the chair, fidgeting her fingers. Allie shook her head in annoyance. Mia was simultaneously the smartest and dumbest girl she knew.

"Any lover of gossip? We're not selling to muggles, Mia. The shop is in Diagon Alley."

"I really don't care that much. Want me to enchant anything?" Her lackadaisical answer was accompanied by her focusing a little bit more on a random patch of wall.

"Exactly. Just let me do this. But enchanted brushes and lipsticks that apply themselves would be great. Self-polishing nails? That actually sounds pretty cool." Mia nodded, running her fingers along the wall before hooking them and pulling back. Unbeknownst to Allie, Mia had removed an enchantment from the walls of the Hufflepuff common room. Her response was thoughtful.

"I can do it, but you'd need to make the lipsticks, nail polishes, and brushes first. I'm not enchanting the lipstick but the container and unless you want stuff to phase through them, it'll have to be there from the start. How good are you with the mermish?" Allie blinked.

"I'll get you the stuff soon. And pretty good."

"Great! Kelp is insanely good for your hair and carries enchantments easily. We could make a line of temporary hair dye." Her eyes betrayed the small excitement at the prospect of walking up to one teacher with bright blue hair and another with brilliant red and confusing them both.

"I'm not up to hair products yet," Allie sighed. Mia shook her head.

"Not yet, but a company that keeps coming up with things will do well."

"It's too soon for the purebloods," the other girl pointed out and Mia sighed. Allie was simultaneously the most forward-thinking and stubborn girl she knew.

"Right _now_ it is. When we are established and well-liked? Opportune time to introduce it."

"I'm going to go and get started. Bye!"Allie cut them short as Mia gathered her things. By then, it wasn't strange for either house to see them in the other house's common room.

Mia nodded and walked the other direction, still fiddling with the string she'd held before. That was _not_ an enchantment she wanted anywhere near a girl's dorm. An acne-inducer? No way! Allie would blame her and that was _definitely_ not a discussion she wanted to she did wish she'd thought of it first… that would be great to use on the Slytherins. Wait a minute, why shouldn't she?

With an evil grin, Mia headed for the Slytherin dorms.

(OvO)

_ ( )_

# #

Allie sat down at her desk and stared the the items in front of her. A red lipstick, a palette of skin-tone eyeshadows, including some with glitter, and three bottles of nail polish - pink, purple, and green. Her six perfumes, as well as her anti-acne potion were already in her trunk. The blonde quickly penned a letter to a 'Macy Williams at _Enchanted_ '. Macy had been hired two days ago to run the store, as Allie was still in school. Sprinkle and Spot, their two house elves, were assisting as well. Things were going excellently, if she did say so herself. When they dropped their first product line, business would explode.


	16. Chapter 16

On the morning of June 10th, Allie and Mia decided to take a stroll around the grounds between ridiculously easy exams, when they heard a shriek of "Scabbers!"

"Quick, hide!" Mia whispered furiously. Even the Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs knew of the fight between Ron and Hermione, and no one wanted to get in the middle of that. The duo ducked behind a rock and watched as the golden trio exited Hagrid's hut, Scabbers held carefully in Ron's cupped hands.

"Help!" the redhead shrieked as he was grabbed by a big black dog. Mia stared. Hadn't she seen animagus strings around that dog before? The dog, with his jaws clamped around Ron's leg, dragged the boy to the Whomping Willow, and down a secret hole. Harry and Hermione soon raced after.

"Shouldn't we get a teacher?" Allie asked worridely, but Mia had already taken off. After a few minor scrapes and scratches, the duo made it down the tunnel to the Shrieking Sack.

"It's Sirius Black!" Mia hissed. Harry used the distraction to leap onto Black and try to grab the wands Black was holding.

Mia dodged the flying fists as Harry tugged the front of the man's robes and _yanked_. The convict let out a yelp and fell forward. He stood quickly, and tried to grab Harry's fists to stop them. But missed, and Harry hit him in the eye. Black stumbled backwards, a brilliant bruise blossoming on his skin. Mia launched into action, digging her nails so hard into both mens' arms and pulled at them. Blood began to drip as wounds were torn before both men stopped. At the silence, with the warm blood of a murderer and a hero on each hand, she shoved the two apart. Harry slid back, and Black hit a wall. He saw right by his hand the wands and grabbed them.

Harry stood there, breathing heavily. He passed Hermione her wand and pointed his towards Black.

"Gonna kill me, Harry?" Black said evenly.

"You killed my parents," Harry spat out. "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't kill you right now."

"If you want to kill Harry, you'll have to kill us too!" Hermione said firmly, standing next to Harry.

Black's yellow teeth gleamed. "There will only be one murder tonight."

"Did you bring him here to die?" Mia said furiously. "Ready to kill a defenseless kid?"

"I'm trying to help," Black pleaded. "I'm innocent!"

Mia grabbed her wand.

"Well I can't tell if you're serious or not. So this is self defense."

"He's Sirius, Mia." Allie sighed.

And the scene was broken as the girls and apparent villain laughed.

"Ooh, good one!" Black clapped his hands. He then turned to Mia.

"How did you learn to fight like that?" Her face was blank.  
"I have three big brothers."

"I see," Black nodded with a hum. Mia shrugged,

"Dawson plays first table for chess, Dan cries at any sad song and Mike can rock a cocktail dress and heels. I had to learn how to fight people bigger than me fast."

There was an awkward silence.

Just then, a crash sounded as someone burst into the room.

Allie tuned out Professor Lupin's entrance and acceptance by Black as she focused her senses elsewhere.

"Guys? I think we're about to have company," she said, hearing the footsteps.

Everyone turned to her.

"Well, well, well," an oily voice said. Allie turned to see her potions professor behind her. "Black - all here for me to take you to the dementors."  
"Expelliarmus!" Mia, Harry and Hermione all yelled. Allie, her back to the trio, turned with her eyes wide to see disarming spells flying at her. She yelped and ducked, the bright spells fllying over her head. Allie, being her clumsy self, tripped and landed on the floor.

"Stupid floor," she muttered as the world faded to white.

(OvO)

_ ( )_

# #

When Allie awoke, it was to the news that Black (who apparently was innocent) had escaped, Mia had detention, and Harry was doing homework with Hermione.

"Yes, yes," Madam Pomfrey said, continuing with her report on what happened. "You've been out for 8 hours. And Professor Lupin is leaving."  
"What?" Allie screeched.

"Professor Snape, ah, let it slip that Remus is a werewolf."  
Allie paid no attention as she threw back her covers, rushed to get dressed, and then ran to the DADA classroom, one shoe still in her hand.

"Professor Lupin, you can't leave!" Allie insisted, bursting in on the Professor and Harry talking.

Professor Lupin smiled sadly. "I'm afraid I must, now that everyone knows I am a werewolf." Allie sputtered.

"But you only are a monster one day a month! Girls turn into a monster for _seven_!"

Harry coughed awkwardly.  
"Right. Bye. Come visit!" Allie waved, leaving the two to their clearly private conversation.

(OvO)

_ ( )_

# #

Allie headed outside to join Mia, who was sitting by the lake.  
"Can you believe that the gem was evil?" Mia said after a minute, referring to the book she was learning from all year.

"Yeah," Allie said carefully. "Did you get the book back?"  
"The Department of Mysteries confiscated it," Mia said.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Allie asked.

Mia shrugged. "Luna Lovegood solved it."  
"Aah," Allie said. "Why detention?"

"I spoke to Dumbles and said I would take the fall for it because _someone_ had to," Mia shrugged. Allie sighed,

"What did you do?" Mia laughed,

"He had me enchanting things. Apparently I'm not the first person he's met in his lifetime who can see strings." Mia leaned back, "What's the deal with the whole heiress thing?"

"I made a house. I am to be addressed as Lady Rosewood," the younger laughed. Mia shrugged,

"Alright," Mia laughed. "So what will Lady Rosewood do today?"

"Today," Allie said with bravado, "is the birthday of my only heiress! I intend to celebrate!"

"With cake?" Mia grimaced. Allie shook her head and slid Mia a bottle.

"This is the only time I'm condoning this."

Mia turned the bottle and sniffed it lightly.

"This is grape juice?"

Allie punched her.

"ALLIE!" Mia yelped. She turned to her, "I am so proud of you." Allie sighed,

"Shut up. Hey, wanna get super ahead in our studies so we can do other things in class?"

"Like, get tutors?" Mia blinked. Allie nodded eagerly.

"Yup!"

"I'm in, let's work up to fourth-year level this summer," Mia agreed, standing up. Allie frowned slightly at her friend's ambitious words. Honestly, maybe the other girl had a little Slytherin in her too.

"You think we can get that far?"

"I know we can, almost all of our classes are practical magic," Mia shrugged. "If you figured out how to hack into our elementary school records in a few hours, you can do this." Allie just giggled.

"Speaking of, I still want you to introduce me to your friends. They're, like, highschoolers, right?"

"Yup," Mia nodded and offered her a hand. Allie ignored it and stood up.

"Let's go. I haven't told the twins and I want to embarrass them for not knowing."

Mia sighed, making Allie giggle. The taller girl shot her a long look.

"I almost forgot you were evil," Mia groaned.

"Takes one to know one," Allie rebutted, sending the girls into giggles. Mia began to fidget with the bottle, before throwing it at a tree. It lodged in a knothole, and blew it up.

"YOU BLEW IT UP!" Allie shrieked. Mia shrugged,

"I regret nothing." Allie sighed,

"What did you do?"

"Not saying," Mia grinned smugly. "You can figure it out."

"Enchanted?"

"Duh."

(OvO)

_ ( )_

# #

The minute the feast started, Mia and Allie paid a visit to the Gryffindor table. Mia grabbed George's hand.

"Uh… what the heck?"

"Your hands are so soft and I must protect them."

He laughed.

"Why are you so cute?"

"I am not!" the girl pouted. "I am a big firstie and I will fight you!"

"No thanks," George paled. "Ronniekins told me about that day."

Mia's only response was a sheepish giggle. She patted his shoulder,

"See you next year?"

"Yeah," he smiled at her.

Allie quickly hugged both Fred and George, before repeating the action with a surprised Hermione.

"Bye, everyone!" she said, waving. Allie skipped back to the Hufflepuff table.


	17. Chapter 17

On their last night of their first year, the two girls snuck out. Mia had wanted to find the fae village, and she had roped Allie into coming with her. Currently, she was watching the other bamboozle a fae.

"You're crazy."

"That's offensive."

"So we're friends now," Mia nodded. The being before her just stared.

"You know what? I hate you," Mia finally said. That made him speak.

"Didn't you say we were friends?"

"I lied."

Mia shrugged. The younger fae behind her giggled. The fae before her was a Stray, without a hive. It seemed he was here for a summit. And Mia was just enjoying irritating him. His eyes narrowed.

"I have spent centuries practicing the subtle art of trickery and glamour spells. And you, human, just stand there. And say things. That aren't true!" Mia coughed into her fist.

"So-uh- I'm bright purple." She wasn't, but he was.

"YOU AREN'T EVEN PUCE!" he yelled. Finally, he calmed himself. "Try again."

"You sure? Ya seem pretty mad." He glared at her.

"I assure you that I am sane, just try again."

"I'm a dragon who lays chicken eggs," Mia sighed.

"WHAT ON EARTH-" Mia shoved a hand over the mouth of the fae as she saw a creature approach Allie. She looked confused.

"Are you a criminal?" the creature rasped and Allie shrugged.

"Not here." Mia glared at her, electing to ignore the Stray for now.

"She's not a criminal anywhere… right?" Allie gave her a sheepish grin.

"Well… I'm not welcome in-"

"Never mind. We came here to learn about the fae and charms. Your kind was the first to use them, yes?"

"How did you know that?" The stray from before wheeled to stare at her.

"This," Allie said, handing them a tome. They all shared a look.

"On what terms are you with demihumans?"

"Well, I never!" Mia protested. "We witches are just as inhuman as you and anyone who says otherwise is an inbred bigot!" The fae stared at her.

"We're on pretty good terms with the centaurs and mermish?" Allie offered. Well that was a half-truth. She hadn't introduced Mia to the mermish yet, but they were pretty keen on meeting her.

"We'll teach you," the leader and stray chorused. They led a girls to a spring and redressed them in ritual dresses, loose white things of soft cloth. The girls were led down long halls as potions were rubbed up their foreheads and ended up at a crystal-clear were each handed chalices of a ruby red liquid and were instructed to drink. Soon enough, they were laid under the water with their eyes opened. A blinding light flashed, and the girls stood before they collapsed to the ground. Mia began to glow and speak in rapid growls as Allie spoke in shrieks. Then the lights faded and worried fae rushed to them. All they were able to do was give a weak thumbs up before being taken and put in soft beds to rest. After all, they had a train to catch in the morning.

(OvO)

_ ( )_

# #

Allie woke up to find herself back in her own bed.

"What time is it?" Allie asked herself sleepily, turning over. She made a grab for her alarm clock. "6? Eh. I should probably get Mia up for one last adventure."

Allie dragged herself out of bed, wearily rubbing her eyes. Opting to wear her muggle clothes, Allie dressed in jeans and a teal sequined wrap-around top over a black tank top. She ran to the Ravenclaw dorm.

"What two words contain the most letters?" the doorknob asked her.

"Post office," Allie replied after a few seconds. She entered the common room and headed straight for the first year girl's dorms. Allie dragged Mia out of bed and went to wait downstairs, wanting to take advantage of Ravenclaw's massive library.

In the half an hour that followed, Allie used a copying rune that she had created to copy books onto plain pages. As she was only able to copy 43, due to the rest of her blank books not arriving in time, Allie plucked _Charms, Enchantments, and Spells_ off a random shelf and started reading.

Allie finally looked up when a bag fell to the floor with a thump.

"Mia-?" she started, only for said girl to disappear around the corner.

"Sleep tight, ya morons!" was heard a minute later.

"Mia," Allie said, reprovingly. "It's morning."

Mia smirked. "Let's go get some breakfast."  
"Will you _catch_ me if I trip?"  
"Only after I get my _rye_ bread."

"You don't even like rye!"

(OvO)

_ ( )_

# #

"Who moved the C4?" Mia looked at her friends. Alex shrugged. Ender whistled while he played with a switchblade. Arden looked up from her phone before looking right back down. Grant just scowled. Allie hummed from the couch. She wasn't close with this friend group of Mia's. They were weird people with an odd love of vandalism. Oh, and did she mention five years older? But their first day off the train and Mia dragged her there to meet them.

"Dunno."

"I just reorganized the closet guys!" Mitch complained from behind his laptop. He was hacking the Pentagon again. Why he was so interested in the famous American military base, they weren't sure. He said it was the shape.

"Yeah," Arden looked up from her text conversation with her parents. They were in Australia for business more often than at home. "Wasn't it supposed to be between the burner phones and det-cords?"

"Yes!" He complained.

"You alphabetized your illegal stash?!" Allie giggled. Mia actually made friends with the _weirdest_ people. She jabbed her finger at the guy with the switchblade. Ender.

"His illegal stash. We just play with it sometimes." Arden rolled her eyes and turned to Mia.

"Leaving that aside, didn't you tell me you used it in a bet that you couldn't break an unbreakable safe?" Mia blinked.

"Right! That was fun! You can use the money for more C4, if you want."

"Thanks!" Ender have her a cute, boyish, grin.

For a bunch of semi-delinquents, they weren't half bad, Allie decided.

(OvO)

_ ( )_

# #

Allie smiled to herself as she finished the last potion on the list, a potion to turn Mia's hair pink. After all, it was Wednesday. Allie smoothed down her own pink shirt as she carefully labelled the vials.

Allie placed the vials on the right side of the shelf, before closing the door.

Mia, once seeing that Allie left the room, crept into the potions lab, not daring to turn on the lights. Allie always put the prank potions on the third shelf. She reached a hand in and grabbed the first vial in the front row on the left side. Better to show up with colored hair than to let Allie prank her. Mia pocketed the vial to drink before dinner.

THE END


	18. AN: Sequel Announcement

AN: I hope you all enjoyed Palace Pandemonium.

A sequel is currently being written that features Lady and Heiress Rosewood, "Vikky", and Mia's fiance. Allie's mysterious plot will start happening (not just crack for her!) and Mia will spend her year dealing with her new feelings and abilities. New characters will be introduced, and the Triwizard Tournament will be making an appearance.

This book will be:

1/4 annoying Snape

1/7 landing in detention

1/6 love triangles quadrilaterals

1/2 Allie taking over the world

1/24 Allie and Mia failing their upcoming Math test

 **= = = WIZARDING WRECK = = =**


End file.
